slow down, Ben

"Increasingly endangered are the sham referendums where presidents won 99 percent of votes, where hardly anyone took the time to cast a ballot, the "parties" that were little more than mafias with empty slogans, and the state intelligence thugs who were a law unto themselves.  That stuff just doesn't cut it anymore."  Slow down, Ben.  We are not there yet.  We still have places where even referenda are not allowed.  The push in the Arab League against Syria had NOTHING to do with democracy.  Remember: it was spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, for potato's sake.  (thanks Sultan)