U.S. Committed to Seeking and Supporting Democratic Growth

President     George W. Bush

In his recent speech to dissidents and democratic activists from 17 countries on five continents, President Bush told the audience, "You follow different traditions, you practice different faiths, and you face different challenges. But you are united by an unwavering conviction: that freedom is the non-negotiable right of every man, woman, and child, and that the path to lasting peace in our world is liberty."

President Bush reiterated America's belief that freedom is not only the right of every human being, it is also essential to combating extremism: “The most powerful weapon in the struggle against extremism is not bullets or bombs -- it is the universal appeal of freedom. Freedom is the design of our Maker, and the longing of every soul. Freedom is the best way to unleash the creativity and economic potential of a nation. Freedom is the only ordering of a society that leads to justice. And human freedom is the only way to achieve human rights."

Noting that democracy allows citizens the freedom to address problems through the political process, and that the opportunity to disagree openly with their leaders makes it less likely that young people will adopt violent ideologies, President Bush said that the United States will continue to press nations "...  to open up their political systems, and give greater voice to their people. Inevitably, this creates tension. But our relationships with these countries are broad enough and deep enough to bear it.”

President Bush made clear that despite some setbacks and difficulties for democracy in the Middle East, America will not seek stability at the expense of democracy: "Still, some argue that a safer goal would be stability, especially in the Middle East. The problem is that pursuing stability at the expense of liberty does not lead to peace -- it leads to September the 11th, 2001.  The policy of tolerating tyranny is a moral and strategic failure. It is a mistake the world must not repeat in the 21st century.

Others fear that democracy will bring dangerous forces to power, such as Hamas in the Palestinian Territories. Elections will not always turn out the way we hope. Yet democracy consists of more than a single trip to the ballot box. Democracy requires meaningful opposition parties, a vibrant civil society, a government that enforces the law and responds to the needs of its people. Elections can accelerate the creation of such institutions. In a democracy, people will not vote for a life of perpetual violence. To stay in power, elected officials must listen to their people and pursue their desires for peace -- or, in democracies, the voters will replace them through free elections.”

In closing, President Bush said that America understood that extending democracy around the world would be difficult, but rejected the arguments some make that it is simply too difficult to achieve.  Just as history proved wrong those who argued during the Cold War that the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain could not be overcome, history will prove wrong those who argue that democracy cannot be extended to the people of every nation and culture: "I leave Prague with a certainty that the cause of freedom is not tired, and that its future is in the best of hands. With unbreakable faith in the power of liberty, you will inspire your people, you will lead your nations, and you will change the world.”

To help support those working for democratic growth and change in the Middle East, President Bush created in 2002 the Middle East Partnership Initiative; through which America has funded over 350 programs, and continues to respond to calls from the region's reformers for concrete support.