The Friendly dictators

Pakistan under Musharaf is currently a secular military dictatorship . . . a relatively benign one at it.  Next-door Iran is an Islamic Republic where Democracy as in "majority rule" is practiced, much to the detriment of the unprotected minority.

 

In an idealized world, non-denominational representative republic (like the US) or even with a titular monarch (like the Netherlands) are probably the most conducive to personal freedom and ecomic prosperity.  However, for much of the world, such a choice is not viable yet . . . just look at what a mess Iraq has turned into under the tutelage of "liberals mugged by reality" (Carl Rove's definition of "neoconservative") yet forgot all that mugging altogether and back in their social engineering dreamland.  For places like that, including much of middleast, the realistic choice really is between dictatorship vs. dictatorship by mullahs under the disguise of democracy.

 

Let's not forget, religious freedom was put into large scale practice only twice in world history.  The first time was under the Mongol military dictatorship, in order to rule their polyglot land empire.  The second time by the Dutch (and subsequently the rest of West), only after decades of mutual slaughter between Protestants and Catholics. 

 

The Dutch were always ahead their time, often through learning from other people's mistakes.  It just took a lot of bloodshed to convince those in political power, like the Spanish absolutist monarchs . . . as unfortunately usually the case in human history.     

 

 

Just google "political prisoners morocco", and you get plenty of hits.

 

No-one deserves to be treated sub-human. No-one, but you obyiously do not understand the term 'political prisoner'. A political prisoner is locked up because he differs from opinion with the government or because he opposes the government. These are people being punished for having an opinion of their own in a country that has no freedom of speech. Imagine Bush locking up all who disagree with him without proper trial. Would you accept that as normal?

 

Yes, and aliens are controlling the government. Very simple is it, just living in denial.