Stephen Kinzer
Stephen Kinzer
Stephen Kinzeris an American author, journalist and academic. A former newspaper reporter, the veteran New York Times correspondent has filed stories from more than fifty countries on five continents, as well as published several books...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth4 August 1951
CountryUnited States of America
countries elections knows man national power result
In some countries that are darlings of the West, like Egypt, everyone knows the result of national elections years in advance: The man in power always wins. In others, like Saudi Arabia, the very idea of an election is unthinkable.
arabs elect means share
Accepting that Arabs have the right to elect their own leaders means accepting the rise of governments that do not share America's pro-Israel militancy.
brought build civilian countries democratic elected human latin rights sought
In fairness, Latin America's elected civilian leaders have made progress in some areas. They have brought their countries back to international respectability, curbed flagrant human rights violations, and sought to build democratic political institutions.
appreciation deeper electoral fight freedom iranians painfully perhaps rights value west
Because Iranians have had to fight so long and painfully for political freedom, they have a deep appreciation for its value - perhaps deeper than many in the West who take their electoral rights for granted.
case classic difference electorate governor harsh national opposed romney supported
Romney is a classic case of re-invention. As governor of Massachusetts, he supported government-sponsored healthcare, was sympathetic to gay rights, and opposed harsh restrictions on abortion. After measuring the difference between the Massachusetts electorate and the national one to which he must now appeal, he has reversed those positions.
judaism
Archaeologists have made discoveries that challenge fundamental traditions of Judaism as well as those of Christianity and Islam.
iranians
Iranians launched their constitutional revolution in 1906 and established their parliament soon afterward.
believes increased pursue
As long as Iran believes that its security will be increased by having a nuclear program, it's going to pursue its program.
allied armies building formidable invaded modern obsessed project soon steel
Iran's most formidable modern leader, Reza Shah Pahlavi, was obsessed with the idea of building a steel mill, but in 1941, soon after he assembled all the components, Allied armies invaded Iran, and the project had to be abandoned.
democrats filled forces repressive turns
Congress, it turns out, is filled with Republicans and Democrats eager to act as enablers for the most repressive forces in Iran.
altering chiefly countries cut imports latin means policies thousands throw united ways work wound
The United States has means to wound Latin American countries deeply, chiefly by altering trade policies to cut imports in ways that would throw thousands out of work.
dealt decades east middle regions states united war
The United States has dealt with the Middle East and surrounding regions for many decades in the context of the Cold War.
failed large movement politics tried war
During the Cold War, the non-aligned movement tried to become a 'third force' in world politics, but failed because it was too large and unwieldy.
bodies cannot easily power turns
No authoritarian leader cedes power easily or turns it over to bodies he cannot control.