The four-year anniversary of Mom's death was on Saturday. It's always been hard for me to express my feelings about it - I'm having trouble again now. But it basically sucks.

It's amazing how much has happened in the world since 2/26/2001. Summer 2001 was quiet (do you remember that it was the "Summer of the Shark" (or the "Summer of the Coconut")?)Then came the 9/11/2001 sneak attacks, then the October 2001 war in Afghanistan. The sense of fear and tension and the political maneuvering in 2002, then the war in Iraq in March/April 2003. The deaths of Uday and Qusay and the capture of Saddam. The presidential race in the U.S., and the ongoing attacks in Iraq on Coalition Forces and allied Iraqis, in 2004.

Lately, democracy seems to be expanding in a way that is fast and furious.
Elections in Afghanistan (women could vote!) - the do-over of the election in the Ukraine, after massive popular protest (the Orange Revolution). Elections in Palestine, local elections in Saudi Arabia (no women voters though). And the big one - elections in Iraq, with turnout percentages close to the turnout of the U.S. (and women could vote!). Last week, Egypt announced there would be general elections, for the first time in 25 years or so.

Today, there was a massive strike in Lebanon, with protests centered around the tent city in the middle of Beirut. Some reports say that, right now, there are 200,000 protestors in what is being called the Cedar Revolution (after the tree on the Lebanese flag). Completely peaceful, so far.

And, hours ago, the Lebanese government resigned. As blogger Caveman in Beirut put it, The government has fallen. And now the fun begins.

Amazing times. Democracy on the march. Millions of women suddenly having new rights.
Amazing.

C
- posted by Christoph Roggenkamp @ 2/28/2005 02:52:00 PM