'Oh, America … Oh, Empire of Contradictions'

Condoleezza Rice has denied the widespread expectations that the United States would retreat from its support of democracy, because democracy puts parties that America disapproves of in the seat of power.

If that were true, namely, if America insisted on supporting democracy in the world, then we would truly be the happiest people. But regrettably, when we look around us, we see the exact opposite, because the support for democracy by the United States of America is selective. She supports this side [party] and opposes that one, supports Orange Revolution in a number of countries around the world, but then she puts the screws to – or boycotts and fights against – the democratic experiences in other countries. A perfect example of this selectivity and double standard is the American position on Palestinian democracy. Superior in execution, form and content to the experience in many other nations, Palestinians have thusfar endured nothing but resistance, denial, provocation, threats and boycotts from the United States.

The Palestinian elections took place according to America’s expressed wishes, its open encouragement, and strict oversight, but as soon as the less than mysterious results became clear – as many signs had been pointing to this outcome [the election of Hamas] – as soon as that happened, we found the world’s shepherd of democracy turning against our Palestinian democracy, and punishing all of our people for their democratic decision. This also places additional insurmountable obstacles in the path of Palestine’s political system. And not content with the damage she has inflicted on her own, Washington has called the entire international community to follow its example!!

The double standards of the United States are not limited to democracy, but have expanded over recent days to include the field of danger that threatens human life all over this planet, meaning nuclear weapons. And all of this, at a time when the United States is leading a destructive battle against Iran’s national project and against the merest inkling of progress in some Arab countries, while it openly concludes a nuclear treaty with India!! And it defends Israeli nuclear production with unrivaled intensity!!! And more than that, the United States of America carries out the destruction of states, peoples and communities on the basis of intention alone, i.e. that these states, peoples, and communities intend (in the future) to possess a nuclear weapon! So it carries out pre-emptive wars against these states, peoples, and communities … with Iraq the grossest revelation of these American double standards.

We return to our scene [Palestine] … for Hamas, which won the elections and formed a government, didn’t come down to us from another planet; instead, it is a part of the Palestinian body’s tissue – whether under the name of the Muslim Brotherhood or the Islamic Resistance, it was always there, a part of the tissue and a part of the interaction of Palestinian life.

So why does Washington hold this misunderstood and unjustified position? And tell us, what are the democratic elements that the United States wants, so people can understand them ahead of time, and so that these people don’t pay the exorbitant price that the United States demands. We have seen that the U.S. is always able to understand Israel, in any perverse action that it may carry out, even if it publicly murders Palestinians every day, or openly steals their land, or imposes a suffocating encirclement, transferring them to small, isolated areas with checkpoints between each and every one, which are now being transformed into border crossings, or rather, international crossings!!

We know with certainty that power has its own special logic, and its own democracy that serves its own interests, and its own laws that do not recognize the rights of the weak!! We know all of that with certainty, but what we don’t know is what America wants us to believe it when it talks, and how to trust it where it counts … Oh, America … Oh, Empire of Contradictions.