Some version of this argument makes up nearly the entire weight of "reasoning" as to why foreign governments should continue to support third and fourth generation "refugees" (read: mujahideen terrorists). This argument makes foreign aid some sort of entitlement program for terrorists.
Let's flip that one around, shall we?
George Bush was elected president in transparent democratic elections. Shouldn't the world accept that result and support his policies? Of course not. The Guardian could be published daily on one square of toilet paper if that were the case. Not a bad idea, much more useful.
Secondly, democracy can be defined many ways. If democracy is viewed as narrow process, majority rule, as Steele does here, there's not much to recommend it in places where the majority is bound and determined to wage a war of extermination on its neighbors. HAMAS advocates shari'a, rule by the Qur'an, and following the Sunna (See, HAMAS Charter, infra).
If that's democracy, Iran and Saudi Arabia are closely related to Jeffersonian ideals.
Liberty, rule of SECULAR law, civil institutions, and productive activity trump mere process. If those are valued, process-based democracy usually results. But to hold elections and claim the result is somehow magical and should be respected ignores elected brutes and fundamental norms which govern society.
One thing you'll never see in the Guardian are long passages from the HAMAS Charter.
"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it" (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory)."
"The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up."
"Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement."
"The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised. To do this requires the diffusion of Islamic consciousness among the masses, both on the regional, Arab and Islamic levels. It is necessary to instill the spirit of Jihad in the heart of the nation so that they would confront the enemies and join the ranks of the fighters."
"The Islamic Resistance Movement adopts Islam as its way of life. Islam is its creed and religion. Whoever takes Islam as his way of life, be it an organization, a grouping, a country or any other body, the Islamic Resistance Movement considers itself as their soldiers and nothing more."
That leaves exactly no room for the ideals upon which nations build consensual government.
Spain should feel lucky Israel is still around to occupy HAMAS and its jihadist head-choppers. Once any territory is captured or settled by Islam it must always be reconquered until global conquest and the end of days. It's not called the Dar-al-Harb because jihadists want to have town meetings, focus groups, and use push polling.
No jihad would be complete without the media-dominating, money-grubbing, secret society conspiracy theories found in Article 22 of the HAMAS Charter. I'm not making this up:
For a long time, the enemies have been planning, skillfully and with precision, for the achievement of what they have attained. They took into consideration the causes affecting the current of events. They strived to amass great and substantive material wealth which they devoted to the realisation of their dream. With their money, they took control of the world media, news agencies, the press, publishing houses, broadcasting stations, and others. With their money they stirred revolutions in various parts of the world with the purpose of achieving their interests and reaping the fruit therein. They were behind the French Revolution, the Communist revolution and most of the revolutions we heard and hear about, here and there. With their money they formed secret societies, such as Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, the Lions and others in different parts of the world for the purpose of sabotaging societies and achieving Zionist interests. With their money they were able to control imperialistic countries and instigate them to colonize many countries in order to enable them to exploit their resources and spread corruption there.
Democracy will bloom over there if we just sprinkle more money after the millions wasted already?
Please.
The journalists who continue to sugarcoat and lie about HAMAS's intentions - ignoring deep roots in Islamic shari'a, despotism, and warfare - are helping them wage the jihad as much, if not more than, the fumbling "militants" themselves. From Article 30:
Jihad is not confined to the carrying of arms and the confrontation of the enemy. The effective word, the good article, the useful book, support and solidarity - together with the presence of sincere purpose for the hoisting of Allah's banner higher and higher - all these are elements of the Jihad for Allah's sake.
"Whosoever mobilises a fighter for the sake of Allah is himself a fighter. Whosoever supports the relatives of a fighter, he himself is a fighter." (related by al-Bukhari, Moslem, Abu-Dawood and al-Tarmadhi).
Obviously the Guardian's Steele is angling for the 72 virgins, little boys, and rivers of wine.
hat tip: Discarded Lies