Finally, and at long last, etc. etc. etc. President George W. Bush makes a truly great speech. A speech that has depth, focus, imagination, and just plain balls. Really really good. He lays it out there, points to the jerks that have ridiculed the possibilities for democracy around the world; and then points:

The great democratic movement President Reagan described was already well underway. In the early 1970s, there were about 40 democracies in the world. By the middle of that decade, Portugal and Spain and Greece held free elections. Soon there were new democracies in Latin America, and free institutions were spreading in Korea, in Taiwan, and in East Asia. This very week in 1989, there were protests in East Berlin and in Leipzig. By the end of that year, every communist dictatorship in Central America* had collapsed. Within another year, the South African government released Nelson Mandela. Four years later, he was elected president of his country -- ascending, like Walesa and Havel, from prisoner of state to head of state. As the 20th century ended, there were around 120 democracies in the world -- and I can assure you more are on the way. (Applause.) Ronald Reagan would be pleased, and he would not be surprised.

It is indeed astonishing; consider that the 1970's started with only 40 democracies. Bush lets the Euro sophisticates have it in the ass:

In June of 1982, President Ronald Reagan spoke at Westminster Palace and declared, the turning point had arrived in history. He argued that Soviet communism had failed, precisely because it did not respect its own people -- their creativity, their genius and their rights.

President Reagan said that the day of Soviet tyranny was passing, that freedom had a momentum which would not be halted. He gave this organization its mandate: to add to the momentum of freedom across the world. Your mandate was important 20 years ago; it is equally important today. (Applause.)

A number of critics were dismissive of that speech by the President. According to one editorial of the time, "It seems hard to be a sophisticated European and also an admirer of Ronald Reagan." (Laughter.) Some observers on both sides of the Atlantic pronounced the speech simplistic and naive, and even dangerous. In fact, Ronald Reagan's words were courageous and optimistic and entirely correct. (Applause.)

Read the whole thing. Guys like me have been screaming for a speech like this. I just hope it is the first of a hundred. A terrific speech and lots of you can be proud at last.

commitment to democracy is tested in countries like Cuba and Burma and North Korea and Zimbabwe -- outposts of oppression in our world. The people in these nations live in captivity, and fear and silence. Yet, these regimes cannot hold back freedom forever -- and, one day, from prison camps and prison cells, and from exile, the leaders of new democracies will arrive. (Applause.) Communism, and militarism and rule by the capricious and corrupt are the relics of a passing era. And we will stand with these oppressed peoples until the day of their freedom finally arrives. (Applause.)

I could go on, but read it. You will feel good to be an American. And glad you are not a Democrat. As a final little dig; the Arabic version is supplied:

شﻮﺑ : ﻲﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻢﻜﺤﻟا ءىدﺎﺒﻣ ﻊﻣ ﺎﻣﺎﻤﺗ ﻢﺠﺴﻨﺗ ﺔﻴﻣﻼﺳﻹا ﺔﻧﺎﻳﺪﻟا
) ،ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻪﺑﺎﻄﺧ ﺺﻧ 6 ﻲﻧﺎﺜﻟا ﻦﻳﺮﺸﺗ / ﺮﺒﻤﻓﻮﻧ (
،ﻦﻄﻨﺵاو 6 ﻲﻧﺎﺜﻟا ﻦﻳﺮﺸﺗ / ﺮﺒﻤﻓﻮﻧ – ﻊﻡ ﺎﻡﺎﻤﺗ ﻢﺠﺴﻨﺗ ﺔﻴﻡﻼﺳﻹا ﺔﻧﺎﻳﺪﻟا نأ ﻰﻠﻋ شﻮﺑ ﺲﻴﺋﺮﻟا دﺪﺵ
ﻲﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻢﻜﺤﻟا ءىدﺎﺒﻡ . ﺮﻟا ﺪﻬﺸﺘﺳاو ﺔﻤﻈﻧأ ﺎﻬﻤﻜﺤﺗ ﻲﺘﻟا ﺔﻴﻡﻼﺳﻹا لوﺪﻟا ﻦﻡ دﺪﻌﺑ ﺲﻴﺋ
ﺮﺠﻴﻨﻟاو لﺎﻐﻴﻨﻴﺴﻟاو ﺎﻴﺴﻴﻧوﺪﻧإ ،ﺎﻴآﺮﺗ ﺎﻬﻨﻡو ،ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳد .
يﺬﻟا ﻲﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﺐآﺮﻟﺎﺑ ﻖﺤﻠﻳ ﻢﻟ ﻲﺑﺮﻌﻟا ﻢﻟﺎﻌﻟا نأ ﻰﻠﻋ دﺪﺵ ﻲآﺮﻴﻡﻷا ﺲﻴﺋﺮﻟا ﻦﻜﻟو
ﻢﻟﺎﻌﻟا حﺎﺘﺠﻳ . ﺪﺻأ يﺬﻟا ﻲﻧﺎﺜﻟا ﺔﻳﺮﺸﺒﻟا ﺔﻴﻤﻨﺘﻟا ﺮﻳﺮﻘﺘﺑ ،ﻚﻟذ ﻰﻠﻋ ﻞﻴﻟﺪﺘﻠﻟ ،ﺪﻬﺸﺘﺳاو ﺞﻡﺎﻧﺮﺑ ﻩر
ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻠﻟ ﺔﻴﻤﻟﺎﻌﻟا ﺔﺝﻮﻤﻟا نأ ﻪﻴﻓ ءﺎﺝ يﺬﻟاو ،ةﺪﺤﺘﻤﻟا ﻢﻡﻸﻟ ﻊﺑﺎﺘﻟا ﺔﻴﻤﻨﺘﻟا " لوﺪﻟا ﺖﺴﻡﻻ دﺎﻜﻟﺎﺑ
ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟا ".
ﻰﻟإ ﺔﺝﺎﺤﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻲﺴﻴﺋر بﺎﻄﺧ ﻲﻓ ثﺪﺤﺘﻳ نﺎآ يﺬﻟا ،ﻲآﺮﻴﻡﻷا ﺲﻴﺋﺮﻟا ﺚﺡو
ﻦﻄﻨﺵاﻮﺑ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻠﻟ ﻲﻡﻮﻘﻟا قوﺪﻨﺼﻟا ﺔﺴﺳﺆﻡ ﺮﻘﻡ ﻲﻓ ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ،مﻮﻴﻟا
ﻰﻠﻋ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟا تﺎﻡﻮﻜﺤﻟا " ﺔﻴﻘﻴﻘﺤﻟا ﺢﻟﺎﺼﻤﻟا مﺪﺨﺗ نأو ﺔﻴﻘﻴﻘﺤﻟا ﻞآﺎﺸﻤﻠﻟ ىﺪﺼﺘﺗ نأ ةروﺮﺿ
ﺎﻬﺑﻮﻌﺸﻟ " نأ ﺎﻔﻴﻀﻡ ، " ﺔﻟوﺆﺴﻡ ةدﺎﻴﻗ ﻖﺤﺘﺴﺗ ةرﺪﺘﻘﻤﻟاو ﺔﺒﻴﻄﻟا ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا بﻮﻌﺵ ". ﻪﻧإ لﺎﻗو
ﺔﻠﻳﻮﻃ ةﺮﺘﻔﻟ " اﻮﻧﻮﻜﻳ نأ نﻮﻘﺤﺘﺴﻳ ﻢﻬﻧإ ،عﺎﺒﺗأو ﺎﻳﺎﺤﺿ ﻦﻡ ﺮﺜآأ ﻻ ﺔﻘﻄﻨﻤﻟا ﻚﻠﺗ نﺎﻜﺳ نﺎآ
ﻡ ﻦﻴﻄﺸﻧ ﻦﻴﻨﻃاﻮ ".
نإ شﻮﺑ لﺎﻗ ،ﺔﻴﻨﻴﻄﺴﻠﻔﻟا ﺔﻟﺄﺴﻤﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻪﺜﻳﺪﺡ ﻲﻓو " ﺔﻡاﺮﻜﻟاو لﻼﻘﺘﺳﻼﻟ ﺪﻴﺡﻮﻟا ﻞﻴﺒﺴﻟا
ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻞﻴﺒﺳ ﻮه ءﺎﺧﺮﻟاو ".
ﻢﻟﺎﻌﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻃﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا دﻮﻬﺠﻡ ﻢﻋﺰﺗ ﻰﻠﻋ ،ﺮﺼﻡ ،ﺮﺒآﻷا ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟا ﺔﻟوﺪﻟا شﻮﺑ ﺚﺡو
ﺔﻴﻠﻴﺋاﺮﺳﻹا ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟا مﻼﺴﻟا ﺔﻴﻠﻤﻋ ﺎﻬﻤﻋﺰﺘﺑ ﺖﻠﻌﻓ ﺎﻤآ ،ﻲﺑﺮﻌﻟا . ﻗو لﺎ " : يﺮﺼﻤﻟا ﺐﻌﺸﻟا ﺪﻬﻡ ﺪﻘﻟ
ﻖﻳﺮﻄﻟا ﺪﻬﻤﻳ نأ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ تﺎﺑ نﻵاو ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا ﻲﻓ مﻼﺴﻟا ﻮﺤﻧ ﻖﻳﺮﻄﻟا ﻪﺴﻔﻨﺑ ﺰﺘﻌﻤﻟا ﻢﻴﻈﻌﻟا
ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻮﺤﻧ ".
شﻮﺑ لﺎﻗو " : ﻲﻓ ،ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا ناﺪﻠﺑ ﻦﻡ ﺮﻴﺜﻜﻟا ﻲﻓ نﻵا ﻰﺘﺡ رﺬﺠﺘﺗ ﻢﻟ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا نإ
لاﺆﺴﻟا زﺮﺒﻳو ،ﺔﻤﻴﻈﻋ ﺔﻴﺠﻴﺗاﺮﺘﺳا ﺔﻴﻤهأ تاذ لود : ه ﺎﻡ ﻞﻜﺸﺑ ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا بﻮﻌﺵ ﻊﻘﺗ ﻞ
ﻞﻇ ﻲﻓ ﺶﻴﻌﻟا لﺎﻔﻃﻷاو ءﺎﺴﻨﻟاو لﺎﺝﺮﻟا ﻦﻡ ﻦﻴﻳﻼﻤﻟا ﻰﻠﻋ ﻢﻜﺡ ﻞه ؟ﺔﻳﺮﺤﻟا ﺮﻴﺙﺄﺗ قﺎﻄﻧ جرﺎﺧ
ﻦﻟو ﺔﻳﺮﺤﻟا اﻮﻓﺮﻌﻳ ﻦﻟ ﻦﻳﺬﻟا ﻢهاﻮﺳ نود ﻢهﺪﺡو ﻢه ﻞه ؟ﺔﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا وأ ﺦﻳرﺎﺘﻟا ﺐﺒﺴﺑ داﺪﺒﺘﺳﻻا
؟ﺔﻟﺄﺴﻤﻟا ﻲﻓ يأر ﻢﻬﻟ نﻮﻜﻳ نأ ﺔﺻﺮﻓ ﻰﻠﻋ ﻰﺘﺡ ًﺎﻗﻼﻃإ اﻮﻠﺼﺤﻳ "
لﻮﻘﻟﺎﺑ ﻪﻟاﺆﺳ ﻦﻋ بﺎﺝأو " : ﻚﻟذ قﺪﺻأ ﻻ ،ًﺎﻴﺼﺨﺵ ﺎﻧأ . ةرﺪﻘﻟا نﺎﺴﻧإ ﻞآ ىﺪﻟ نأ ﻦﻡوأ ﺎﻧأ
اﺮﺡ نﻮﻜﻳ نأ ﻲﻓ ﻖﺤﻟاو ".
نأ ﻰﻠﻋ شﻮﺑ دﺪﺵو " ﺔﻠﻡﺎآ ﺮﻴﻏ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا نأ نﻮآرﺪﻳ ﺔﻘﻄﻨﻤﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا لﺎﻄﺑأ
ﻖﻳﺮﻄﻟا ﺖﺴﻴﻟ ﺎﻬﻧأو ﻬﻨﻜﻟ ﺔﻠﺿﺎﻔﻟا ﺔﻨﻳﺪﻤﻟا ﻰﻟإ ﺎ ﺔﻡاﺮﻜﻟا ﻰﻟإ ﺪﻴﺡﻮﻟا ﻖﻳﺮﻄﻟا و ﻦﻴﻴﻡﻮﻘﻟا حﺎﺠﻨﻟا . ﺎﻨﻧإو
ﻦﻴﺡ ﺔﻘﻄﻨﻤﻟا ﻲﻓ تﺎﺡﻼﺻإ ﺪهﺎﺸﻧ نأ ﻲﻌﻧ ﺎﻨﻧﺈﻓ ،ﺎﻬﻌﺠﺸﻧو ﺐﻳﺮﻐﺘﻟﺎآ ءﻲﺸﻟا ﺲﻔﻧ ﺲﻴﻟ ﺚﻳﺪﺤﺘﻟا ".
نأ ﺢﺿوأو " تﺎﻡﻮﻜﺤﻟا ﺔﻘﻄﻨﻤﻟا تارﺎﻀﺡو تﺎﻓﺎﻘﺙ ﺲﻜﻌﺘﺳ ﻂﺳوﻷا قﺮﺸﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻠﻴﺜﻤﺘﻟا . ﻻ ﻢﻬﻓ
ﺎﻨﻧﻮﻬﺒﺸﻳ و نأ ﻲﻐﺒﻨﻳ ﻻ ﻚﻟﺬآ اﻮﻧﻮﻜﻳ . ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا لوﺪﻟا نﻮﻜﺗ ﺪﻗ ﻚﻟﺎﻤﻡ ﺔﻳرﻮﺘﺳد ، وأ تﺎﻳرﻮﻬﻤﺝ
وأ ﺔﻴﻟارﺪﻓ ﺔﻤﻈﻧأ ﺔﻴﻧﺎﻤﻟﺮﺑ ".
شﻮﺑ لﺎﻗو " : ﺔﻟﺎﻌﻔﻟا ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا نإ ﺎﻤﺋاد ﺔﺒﺴﻨﻟﺎﺑ لﺎﺤﻟا ﻮه ﺎﻤآ رﻮﻄﺘﻠﻟ ﺖﻗﻮﻟا ﻰﻟإ ﺔﺝﺎﺤﺑ
ﺎﻧدﻼﺑ ﻲﻓ ﺔﻴﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻠﻟ . ﺖﻗﺮﻐﺘﺳا ةﺮﻴﺴﻡ ﺎﻨﻀﺧ ﺪﻘﻓ 200 ﺎﻡ اﺬهو لﺪﻌﻟاو ﺔﻴﻟﻮﻤﺸﻟا ﻮﺤﻧ ﺔﻨﺳ
ﻟا نﻮﻜﺗ ﺎﻡﺪﻨﻋ ﻢﻬﻔﺘﻟاو ﺮﺒﺼﻟﺎﺑ ﻰﻠﺤﺘﻧ ﺎﻨﻠﻌﺠﻳ ﺎﻬﺗﺮﻴﺴﻡ ﻦﻡ ﺔﻔﻠﺘﺨﻡ ﻞﺡاﺮﻡ ﻲﻓ ىﺮﺧﻷا لوﺪ . ﻢﻏرو
ﺔﻤﺜﻓ ﻚﻟذ ﺔآﺮﺘﺸﻡ ﺔﻳﺰآﺮﻡ ئدﺎﺒﻡ ﻟا ﻊﻴﻤﺝ ﻦﻴﺑ ﻌﻤﺘﺠﻤ تﺎﻓﺎﻘﺜﻟا ﺮﺋﺎﺳ ﻲﻓ ﺔﺤﺝﺎﻨﻟا تﺎ ".
شﻮﺑ لﺎﻗ ،ﺢﺝﺎﻨﻟا ﻲﻃاﺮﻘﻤﻳﺪﻟا ﻊﻤﺘﺠﻤﻠﻟ ﻪﻔﺻو ﻲﻓو " : ادوﺪﺡ ﻊﻀﺗ ﺔﺤﺝﺎﻨﻟا تﺎﻌﻤﺘﺠﻤﻟا نإ
ارﻹ ﺔﺑﺎﺠﺘﺳﻻا ﻦﻡ ﺔﻡﻮﻜﺤﻟا ﻦﻜﻤﺘﺗ ﻲﻜﻟ ﺶﻴﺠﻟا ﺔﻄﻠﺳو ﺔﻟوﺪﻟا ﺔﻄﻠﺴﻟ ﺔﺑﺎﺠﺘﺳﻻا ﻦﻡ ﻻﺪﺑ ﺐﻌﺸﻟا ةد
ﻻإ ﺲﻴﻟ ﺔﺒﺨﻨﻟا ةدارﻹ . ﺮﻴﻏو ،بوؤﺪﻟا نﻮﻧﺎﻘﻟا ﺮﺒﻋ ﺔﻳﺮﺤﻟا ﺔﻳﺎﻤﺤﺑ مﻮﻘﺗ ﺔﺤﺝﺎﻨﻟا تﺎﻌﻤﺘﺠﻤﻟاو

No shit, Allah.