US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack appeared on Sunday evening to suggest that Israel is not a democracy while speaking at the 23rd edition of the annual Doha Forum in Qatar's capital.
"We have never had a democracy in [the Middle East]...I don't see a democracy," Barrack said, adding that "Israel can claim it is a democracy, but in this region, what's worked the best, whether you like it or you do not like it, is a benevolent monarchy."
Taking part in a Doha Forum panel on Syria along with Damascus' foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, Qatari state minister Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, and Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide, Barrack noted that Syria must define its future, "without going in with Western expectations of, 'we want a democracy in 12 months.'" (Ed note: So Israel with an elected legislature by the people which is called "The Knesset" a 120-member parliament is not a democracy? I would have to ask what school did Tom study his class in government.) (Read More)