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Can Hizballah and Hamas Be Democratic?
Daniel Pipes (Jerusalem Post) - If al-Qaeda renounced terrorism, would the U.S. government welcome its running candidates in American elections? Had the Nazis denounced violence, would Hitler have become an acceptable chancellor for Germany? Not likely, because the tactics of al-Qaeda and the Nazis matter less than their goals. Hizballah and Hamas are important elements of the Islamist movement that seeks to create a global totalitarian order along the lines of what has already been created in Iran, Sudan, and in Afghanistan under the Taliban. They see themselves as part of a cosmic clash between Muslims and the West in which the victor dominates the world. Washington, trying to be consistent in its push for democracy, prefers to ignore these goals and instead endorses involvement by Hizballah and Hamas in the political process, pending their making some small changes. Washington should take a principled stand that excludes from the democratic process not just terrorists but also totalitarians using the system to get into power and stay there.