So democracy is not good after all. Having discovered that American clients and puppets are not popular in the Middle East, and are not being elected in free elections, Thomas Friedman maintains that: "But the roots of democracy are so shallow in these places and the moderate majorities so weak and intimidated that we are getting the worst of all worlds." Don't you like the term "moderate majority"? So Ahmad Chalabi who failed to win one seat in the last Iraqi election has a "moderate majority"? And then for the words of wisdom, he relies as always on the insights of an Israeli social scientist who is best qualified to explain the "savage mind" to the White Man. Also notice that he quotes Butrus Harb, a right-wing Lebanese sectarian politician who spent hours of drinking and eating with Syrian mukhabarat agents in Lebanon, before becoming courageous against Syrian domination of Lebanon, AFTER the withdrawal of Syrian troops. And it is quite ironic that Harb can talk about a "small minority" when--whether you like it or not--the Shi`ites are the sinlge largest sect in Lebanon, and the Shi`ites, certainly in the last election, have overwhelmingly voted for Hizbullah. Let's face it. Amal has no support, and Hizbullah did it a favor by the alliance that they forged together. In fact, there are two Shi`ite members of parliament who are members of Hariri Inc: Basim As-Sab` and Ghazi Yusuf. Both have not been in their homes in months: not because they are scared of Hizbullah, but because they are scared of their own voters who are furious at their loyalty to Hariri agenda. Yusuf visited Ayatullah Muhammad Husayn Fadllallah to ask him for help: Fadlallah--his people told me--rebuked him for participating in the celebration of John Bolton that was arranged by March 14th Movement in Lebanon. Look: I come from a family of largely secular Shi`ites: but the truth is, almost all Shi`ites are with Hizbullah these days. In this last trip, I found that my 14-year old nephew, somebody who was raised secularly by his parents, has become fiercely supportive of Hizbullah. I had to have a long talk with him about women's rights, multiculturalism, secularism, individual liberties, and reason. He told me that he likes Hasan Nasrallah. I told him: you may like him if you wish, but you should know that the religious ideology of the party is not necessarily compatible with the values and views of "the family"--I speak in the name of the family of course.