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That happened to an incredible extent in Western analysis of Egypt. Among these factors were wishful thinking, the romance of extremism, the refusal to deal with unpleasant facts, and hidden parallels between the desire of some to fundamentally transform their own societies and quite different ones.

No, not all societies are alike. It should be self-evident that all men and women are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain rights. But it doesn’t mean that they think of these rights in the same way or define their goals in the same way. If you are going to believe in the cult of diversity, remember that some of the diverse people think that it be wonderful to kill you, oppress you, and use power to control your life.

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Ideally, it is true that to secure these rights, governments were instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.  But that’s not the way it often works out. In fact, more often than not it isn’t the way that things work out.

Consequently, governments are also instituted to protect their citizens against those of a different opinion. Those governments should apply realpolitik as their duty.

Once the situation is clear—after the failure of appeasement of Germany in 1939, the evidence that the USSR was aggressive in 1946, the failure of the peace process and the launching of the Second Intifada war of terrorism in 2000, or the war of radical Islamism against the West on September 11, 2001—it is the duty of governments and public understanding to take heed of those facts.

It does not matter in the least how unpleasant these facts are or how contrary they may be to our prejudices or conventional wisdom or desires. Attention must be paid,

And, sorry, but if that means that popular totalitarian movements don’t get to enjoy the fruits of their election or military victories so that they can better wipe you out then so be it. So that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth. And one day, others can enjoy those benefits when conditions are ripe.

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Professor Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. See the GLORIA/MERIA site at www.gloria-center.org.