Why focus on “civil rights” in the Middle East?
The concept that an individual has inherent rights – regardless of gender, religion, race, etc. – must take root in Middle Eastern societies if democracy and long-term stability are to be achieved. Beyond the military and diplomatic challenges of the Iraq War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the struggle to stop Islamist terrorists, the fact remains that hundreds of millions of individuals in the Middle East lack guaranteed rights. Free speech is censored, women endure legal discrimination, minorities face restrictions, economic liberty is constrained by corrupt dictators, etc. With citizens denied basic means of self-expression and essential liberties, the region’s development is stunted and radical Islamists enjoy a ripe recruiting ground.
