The flight of Ben Ali of Tunisia, the revolt in Egypt and other movements for change in the Arab world have unleashed a chorus of criticism of Western policy. In Tunisia, the discrediting of France is absolute in the streets of Cairo appealed to the Government of Obama, media in Arab and international criticism abound.
However, this spring would hurry Arab Democratic add to the list of evidence of the decline of the West in world affairs. Rather, these events can be interpreted as the opposite: an opportunity to regain the initiative by supporting the democratic transition has already begun after the riots in Tunisia and that emerges in Egypt and even in other countries such as Jordan.
Western countries were wrong not to condition its policy toward the Arab world to the implementation of principles such as respect for human rights and democracy. The Arab riots do not discredit these universal principles, but precisely its abandonment. West is less played that Asian and Eurasian powers have both criticized and who demonstrate a policy of "pragmatic" and "free from ideology" that does not look at how each country is governed.
The biggest losers are those who, like many Arab rulers, democracy presented itself as a Western invention and not for their societies. West that is not censored the word "Egypt" in their Internet browsers, but China. The Russian ambassador to UN was quick to clarify that the tasks of the UN should deal not include "a finger in the eye of the leaders of other countries." Not only are more or less dictatorial regimes who think this way: in line argued the Indian general said his country should be a permanent member of UN Security to stop the growing tendency to interfere in the internal affairs .
Neither India nor South Africa even mention democracy in his statements about Egypt. Israel, so fond of contrasting his model of democracy to authoritarian Arab neighbors, was quick to defend the regime of Mubarak Egypt for fear of a freer but more hostile. Other democratic powers have better reflexes.
Indonesia and Brazil, two countries most likely to defend democracy in their environment than earlier mentioned the need for democracy in his statements about Egypt. Brazil also establishes the change in position from the total compromise with the authoritarian regimes of the more demanding Lula demonstrated by Dilma Rousseff, starting with Iran.
The most dramatic change of position was the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, who, after years mingling freely with all tyrannies in the area, from Sudan to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, just to rediscover their commitment to democracy in foreign policy following the Arab riots, and has become one of the most critical international leaders with Mubarak.
Thus Turkey is postulated as a model for Arab countries with democratic aspirations. The president of the newly created Committee on Political Reform in Tunisia said that "nobody can tell us again that democracy is a Western idea." Young Arabs say with equal firmness on the streets and in social networks.
Tunisia is no different, Egypt is no different, or Jordan, or Yemen, or any other Arab state. They are different in their society's aspiration for democracy without adjectives. Neither Western democracy or sovereign democracy, and Arab democracy, or any other adjective that distorts its universal value.
In Europe and the United States, as in the global field, had won the bet by pragmatism and geopolitics: accept things as they are, dealing with governments that are democratic and left of squeamishness that are allowing other powers to gain ground (and juicy contracts). This democratic agnosticism, using the expression of Richard Youngs, was particularly fortunate in southern European countries, including Spain.
Europe has been caught off balance by the Arab democratic uprising, but can play a role in the coming months. Open transition process whose success can not at all taken for granted. It is up to the Arabs themselves to ensure their success, but the support of those who share the values that inspire the revolt-freedom, justice, equality, will be crucial for consolidating democracy in their countries, without adjectives. 
However, this spring would hurry Arab Democratic add to the list of evidence of the decline of the West in world affairs. Rather, these events can be interpreted as the opposite: an opportunity to regain the initiative by supporting the democratic transition has already begun after the riots in Tunisia and that emerges in Egypt and even in other countries such as Jordan.
Western countries were wrong not to condition its policy toward the Arab world to the implementation of principles such as respect for human rights and democracy. The Arab riots do not discredit these universal principles, but precisely its abandonment. West is less played that Asian and Eurasian powers have both criticized and who demonstrate a policy of "pragmatic" and "free from ideology" that does not look at how each country is governed.
The biggest losers are those who, like many Arab rulers, democracy presented itself as a Western invention and not for their societies. West that is not censored the word "Egypt" in their Internet browsers, but China. The Russian ambassador to UN was quick to clarify that the tasks of the UN should deal not include "a finger in the eye of the leaders of other countries." Not only are more or less dictatorial regimes who think this way: in line argued the Indian general said his country should be a permanent member of UN Security to stop the growing tendency to interfere in the internal affairs .
Neither India nor South Africa even mention democracy in his statements about Egypt. Israel, so fond of contrasting his model of democracy to authoritarian Arab neighbors, was quick to defend the regime of Mubarak Egypt for fear of a freer but more hostile. Other democratic powers have better reflexes.
Indonesia and Brazil, two countries most likely to defend democracy in their environment than earlier mentioned the need for democracy in his statements about Egypt. Brazil also establishes the change in position from the total compromise with the authoritarian regimes of the more demanding Lula demonstrated by Dilma Rousseff, starting with Iran.
The most dramatic change of position was the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, who, after years mingling freely with all tyrannies in the area, from Sudan to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, just to rediscover their commitment to democracy in foreign policy following the Arab riots, and has become one of the most critical international leaders with Mubarak.
Thus Turkey is postulated as a model for Arab countries with democratic aspirations. The president of the newly created Committee on Political Reform in Tunisia said that "nobody can tell us again that democracy is a Western idea." Young Arabs say with equal firmness on the streets and in social networks.
Tunisia is no different, Egypt is no different, or Jordan, or Yemen, or any other Arab state. They are different in their society's aspiration for democracy without adjectives. Neither Western democracy or sovereign democracy, and Arab democracy, or any other adjective that distorts its universal value.
In Europe and the United States, as in the global field, had won the bet by pragmatism and geopolitics: accept things as they are, dealing with governments that are democratic and left of squeamishness that are allowing other powers to gain ground (and juicy contracts). This democratic agnosticism, using the expression of Richard Youngs, was particularly fortunate in southern European countries, including Spain.
Europe has been caught off balance by the Arab democratic uprising, but can play a role in the coming months. Open transition process whose success can not at all taken for granted. It is up to the Arabs themselves to ensure their success, but the support of those who share the values that inspire the revolt-freedom, justice, equality, will be crucial for consolidating democracy in their countries, without adjectives.
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