| Though revolutions (democratic or not) must arise from within, in some cases this is not possible. Where levels of repression or lack of custom are such that the repressed cannot rise up to challenge and change things, a little help from a powerful friend would be wonderful. Consider the situation in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan or Iraq shortly before interventions there, do you think the chances of revolution were 'ripe' in any of those places? But there can be no doubt change was needed. If we take the view that until the situation is 'ripe' enough the revolution has to wait, we condemn the victims of repression to its continuance until the tyrant's repression reaches a level of degradation adequate to overcome the force he can bring to bear in maintaining that situation. |