Tom Friedman -- Neocon?

In his latest piece Tom Friedman of the New York Times points out that India's Muslim community has overwhelmingly repudiated Islamist radicalism. The reason, he argues, is that they live in a democratic society.

The fact that Indian Muslims have stood up in this way is surely due, in part, to the fact that they live in, are the product of and feel empowered by a democratic and pluralistic society. They are not intimidated by extremist religious leaders and are not afraid to speak out against religious extremism in their midst.

It is why so few, if any, Indian Muslims are known to have joined Al Qaeda. And it is why, as outrageously expensive and as uncertain the outcome, trying to build decent, pluralistic societies in places like Iraq is not as crazy as it seems. It takes a village, and without Arab-Muslim societies where the villagers feel ownership over their lives and empowered to take on their own extremists — militarily and ideologically — this trend will not go away.

Read it here.

So..., is he saying that Bush was right? Why, yes he is!