PRESSEUROP: Terrorism, immigration, the economy: for Europeans, the wave of revolts that have shaken the Arab world is fraught with dangers that are not altogether clear. El País has tried to unravel truth from falsehood.Rare are those who allow themselves to discuss the fact that the support offered by the West for decades to the dictatorships on the southern shores of the Mediterranean is a blotch on their history. The Arab uprisings of recent weeks have put to flight these attitudes, among other debasements. This does not mean, however, that the concerns motivating this Western policy were not and do not continue to be based on very real dangers. The dream of bringing democracy to the Arab world is an exciting one, but the path weaves among yawning chasms that some fear the dream will end up in (and others want it there).
The most obvious and widely discussed fear is that these changes will pave the road to power for Islamist groups hostile to Israel and to the West. However, several factors would appear to hold off that threat, at least in the short term. First is the nature of the events of these last weeks, which have been led by legions of young people aspiring to live in an open and tolerant society, and in which Islamism has not played a leading role. That does not stop some in Europe from raising the spectres of unstable transitions, terrorism, waves of immigration and drug-trafficking that can threaten economic stability and our energy supply.
Certain risks are there, but some experts are insisting there is no need to exaggerate them: the likelihood that they will become reality remains low. All the more reason to face the risks inherent in the bet on democracy with a little courage.
Some issues are more worrisome than others: >>> Andrea Rizzi | Monday, February 21, 2011
PRESSEUROP: EU – LIBYA: High noon with Gaddafi ¬– "If the EU continues to support the protests, Libya will stop cooperating with it on illegal immigration." As summed up by La Repubblica, this is the brunt of the message sent from Tripoli to the Hungarian presidency of the EU on February 20. The threat is worrisome, writes the Italian daily, for "if the Libyan dam breaks, tens of thousands of Africans who are working as slaves or being held in detention centres in Libya will lead an exodus of Biblical proportions. >>> | Monday, February 21, 2011
