Silvio Berlusconi has had his share of gaffs and scandals, not unusual for the Italian people and their government, but this is beyond a mere slip of the lip. He believes that "These events show that democracy can take root in countries that have different cultures from those of the west..." As with virtually all political leaders, he mistakes Jeffersonian democracy with Islamic ideals and sets up a false conclusion which will come back to bite him on the backside.
From ABNA News May 28
Berlusconi: "Arab Spring shows democracy compatible with Islam"
"The principle has been established that democracy is not only compatible with western countries and their civilisations, and I believe this is very important," Berlusconi told journalists at the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France.
The stirrings of democracy seen in the popular revolts that have taken place in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and other Arab countries are the latest in an "extraordinary period of history" that has unfolded over the past 25 years, he said.
"Who could have predicted the fall of Soviet Communism and the end of Apartheid in South Africa and the Arab people's decision to march towards democracy?" Berlusconi stated.
Tunisia's longtime president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in January following a month of popular protests dubbed the Jasmine Revolution. This inspired the revolt in Egypt that toppled its Hosni Mubarak from the presidency less than a month later on 11 February.
"These events show that democracy can take root in countries that have different cultures from those of the west and it's imaginable that these revolts could spread to other countries," Berlusconi concluded.
From ABNA News May 28
Berlusconi: "Arab Spring shows democracy compatible with Islam"
(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The unrest that has shaken the Arab world over the past six months and ousted two of the region's autocratic leaders shows that Islam is compatible with democracy, Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi told said on Friday.
"The principle has been established that democracy is not only compatible with western countries and their civilisations, and I believe this is very important," Berlusconi told journalists at the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France.
The stirrings of democracy seen in the popular revolts that have taken place in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and other Arab countries are the latest in an "extraordinary period of history" that has unfolded over the past 25 years, he said.
"Who could have predicted the fall of Soviet Communism and the end of Apartheid in South Africa and the Arab people's decision to march towards democracy?" Berlusconi stated.
Tunisia's longtime president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in January following a month of popular protests dubbed the Jasmine Revolution. This inspired the revolt in Egypt that toppled its Hosni Mubarak from the presidency less than a month later on 11 February.
"These events show that democracy can take root in countries that have different cultures from those of the west and it's imaginable that these revolts could spread to other countries," Berlusconi concluded.
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