The Islamists are Legitimate Whether the West / Liberals Like Them or Not

Rami Khouri makes an argument: Legitimacy comes from the ballot boxes, not from policies (real or perceived), no matter how distasteful those policies appear to the west or liberals. He even drove his point further by bringing up the American republican primaries:

Comical, even farcical, characters like Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman, Herman Cain, Donald Trump and others of their amusing ilk are subjected to the sole test of legitimate incumbency — which is how politics should work. They may be dangerous demagogues or incompetent provincial clowns, or both in some cases; but that is all overlooked if they gain votes.

A better example would be Israel. The peace process broke down again and again, but it is never because of Netenyahu’s intransigence, it’s always — we are told — because he wants to preserve his political alliance with the ultra-orthodox parties (the equivalents of the Salafists in Egypt). The world is supposed to understand that because it’s how democracies work. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

I’m not a big fan of Khouri’s fixation on the western history of colonialism and imperialism, but his latest article makes a solid point.