Mr. Fantasy meet Mr. Reality

Remember all those great "reverse-domino" arguments? The "Iraq will be the flower of democracy that spreads throughout the Middle East?" And again, when I say Middle East I'm not talking about Ohio although it would be nice if free and fair elections arrived on the next wagon train to Columbus. First Iraq, then Lebanon, then Gaza, maybe Syria, Iran and Egypt. It all sounds so reasonable. Only problem is when Mr. Reality meets Mr. Fantasy.

Raw Story, a good site for stories that aren't simply republished from the MSM, reports that "tough guy" Bruce Willis is to make a pro-war film in which US soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy. Willis supports the war and recently offered a $1 million dollar bounty for the capture of any of al-Qaeda's most-wanted leaders such as Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. I guess some sheep herder won't drop dime on Osama for the $25 million already offered, but for $26 million, hey now that's real money! I'll offer another $100 if there are any additional in the know holdouts who can't get by on only $26 million but might be swayed by $26 million and $100.

As for democracy in Gaza? Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party canceled its primaries in the Gaza Strip on Monday after militants stormed some polling places and shut them down, party officials said. The violence, by armed men belonging to Fatah, was a blow to Abbas's efforts to exert control over Gaza, territory Israel evacuated in September and which is widely seen as a testing ground for Palestinian statehood. I think we can give a grade of "F" for the test at this point.

Egypt? "The world's most populous Arab country, is suddenly roiling with a wide-open, combative election that seems certain to end with the country's main Islamic group, the banned Muslim Brotherhood, as a big winner." One man, one vote, once?

"The country's rulers, longtime American allies, are starting to show signs of panic: Police have barred voters from polls and shot tear gas and thugs have attacked Brotherhood supporters in recent days in an apparent effort to blunt the group's growing momentum." By comparison the goons in Florida and Ohio in 2000 and 2004 were amateurs.

Iran? The new nut in charge, I mean that in a good way, is making the government even more radical. If that's possible.

And back to Iraq - "Human rights abuses in Iraq now are as bad, or worse, than they when Saddam Hussein was in power, the nation's first post-Saddam prime minister was quoted as saying. In an interview with the Observer newspaper in London, Iyad Allawi pointed an accusing finger at the interior ministry, and alleged that "a lot of Iraqis" are being tortured or killed during interrogation. People are doing the same as (in) Saddam Hussein's time and worse, said Allawi, an prominent opponent of Saddam who steered the US-backed interim government in Baghdad until April this year."

Mr. Fantasy meet Mr. Reality. And when the "never surrender, cut-and-run, declare victory and get out" Republicans evacuate Iraq in 2006, they'll meet again.