Mr. Bush's support... helps make clear how the world's superpower believes a budding democracy should be rewarded.... In some parts of the Caucasus, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus, Mr. Bush's position could resonate strongly. Those countries can aspire to eventual NATO membership should the people launch their own successful democratic revolutions.
Mr. Bush's endorsement of Ukraine entering NATO and the WTO comes at a particularly propitious time. The peaceful, democratic revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine are having a global impact, and could particularly affect the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Those who would like to argue that President Bush has had little to do with the spread of liberalism through much of the world must recognize that the administration has had a consistent diplomatic and economic policy of promoting and providing incentives to liberal reform and that such a policy is not without consequences. Bush deserves far more credit than he usually is given [though not as much as his most ardent supporters would claim].
No comments:
Post a Comment