I never am of the view that "democracy" is the priority for the Middle East or anywhere else for that matter, especially the version of "democracy" that Bush, World Bank, Annan, Western academia, and TV have in mind. More than that: I argue that democracy, after the end of the Cold War, and US global supremacy, is in fact impossible, especially when lending institutions and foreign western aid is used to punish and reward voters. So please, stop preaching democracy.