https://pjmedia.com/tatler/2011/02/02/egypt-reasons-for-abject-despair-and-pessimism/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usWed, 10 Jun 2026 12:17:38 -0400<![CDATA[The laudable Bush project of democratizing the Middle East took a major hit when, in January 2006, the Palestinians elected the Islamist movement Hamas to lead their government.  Given the choice of free elections for the first time in their lives, they chose what amounts to the repressive religious war party.  Granted, their other choice was terrorist Fatah, but they chose the more radical option. It was just five months later that Iraqis, freed from secular despotism by American arms, wrote Islamic sharia law into their constitution.  In their 2005 and subsequent elections, Iraqis have chosen to empower Islamist political parties.  The Islamists don&#8217;t have absolute or even majority control in Iraq, and as long as American troops are in country they will not.  But our trajectory there is to draw our troops out. What will Iraqis choose when we leave?]]>Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:10:06 -0500<![CDATA[Bryan Preston]]>https://pjmedia.com/bryan-preston-1/2011/02/02/egypt-reasons-for-abject-despair-and-pessimism-n139554