Democracy in Arabic and Islamic States

In the 2002 National Security Strategy (NSS) of the United States, President George W. Bush exclaims, "We will actively work to bring the hope of democracy and to every corner of the world"1. Since the events of 11 September 2001, the United States has engaged in military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq resulting in regime changes. Based on the philosophy of the National Security Strategy, which subscribes to the democratic peace theory as discussed by Susan Braden, it is in the best interests of the United States for these countries to become strong democracies2. In particular, President Bush has claimed that an Iraqi democracy would be a model for the Middle East and would bring stability to the region3. However, there is considerable debate on whether or not democracy can work in Islamic and Arabic countries.