The Wave

The very real promise of democracy for the Muslim worldHow powerful is the idea of democracy in the Middle East? Could the region actually be at the beginning of a democratic wave, or is a "democratic recession" under way in Islamic lands? In The Wave, Reuel Marc Gerecht comes down firmly on the side of a democratic movement poised to sweep through the region. He describes the powerful Middle Eastern democratic factions on both the secular left and religious right and argues that America must reassess democracy's supposed lack of a future in the Muslim world.Although violence has defined the political culture of the modern Middle East, Iran and Egypt--among the first modernizing Muslim states--have a chance of making a democratic transition without the horrific strife seen in Iraq and Algeria. He details how the West--especially the United States--should deal with Iran's Green Movement, Islamists trying to gain power through the ballot box, and other ethical issues--especially the role of women and minorities--in Muslim societies that are becoming more religious and more democratic.