Democracy Domino Theory

From the New York Sun:

First the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, then the Purple Revolution of Iraqis raising their dyed fingers after voting, now the Cedar Revolution against Syrian domination in Lebanon. Freedom, as President Bush has said so often, is something that is hungered for by all human beings, no matter what their nationality or religion. Despite the view that seems to obtain on the left, even Arabs have a desire for freedom. And today, it is on the march, and at least some of the Lebanese have said publicly that they are inspired partly by events in Iraq.

Which domino will fall next? Is it Egypt, where an aging President Mubarak, after years of authoritarian rule, is suddenly raising the question of how a new leader will be chosen? Is it Syria, which, as our Eli Lake reports today, is being targeted for pressure by those such as Senator Brownback who feel that Damascus has backed the terrorists in Iraq? The senator is talking about major funding for civil society groups, a tactic that certainly worked wonders in Iraq, starting with Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress. Is it Iran, where pressure is building for the important next step of a popular referendum on theocratic rule? Such a referendum would, almost by definition, spell the end of such rule. It is hard to predict which domino will fall. But in the face of recent events, skepticism in the domino theory must be tottering like just another, well, dictatorial regime.

Who would have thought there'd be so much good news coming out of the Middle East? After all the dominoes fall, the next thing on my wish list is an Islamic Reformation.
Might as well dream big.