Warning:Please read this with open-mind. I don't mean to offend anyone. It's just my thought.
What is election? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it means the "right, power, or privilege of making a choice." An election is a democratic process. It allows people from different walks of life to choose a leader who can represent them and their interests. The election in Palestine between Fatah and the so-called "terrorist" group, Hamas was fair and probably the first democratic election process in the country. At the end, Hamas won the election with a landslide victory.
Why is this a big deal?
It's a big deal because in the world of democracy, no political party of a country with its intention to ruin another nation should have a power to rule. However, it happened; Hamas won. " Hamas is the Palestinians’ largest and most influential Muslim fundamentalist movement. It has an extensive social service network, as well as a terrorist wing that has carried out suicide bombings and attacks using mortars and short-range rockets in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and inside the pre-1967 boundaries of Israel" (Council of Foreign Relations. Terrorism: Questions and Answers). Hamas is a terrorist group with a plan to destroy Israel. The United States and other powerful countries such as England are not happy with the election's outcome. To them, the Hamas victory means a defeat in the war on terror. Terrorists should not have any political power to control a country. Hamas also has a close tied relationship with Iran. It supports Hamas with weapons and other supplies to destroy Israel. The result of the election gives more power to Hamas to do whatever it wants to Palestine. President Bush doesn't want a terrorist to have this controlling power. So he annouced that he will not send anymore humantarian aid to Palestine unless the Hamas gives up its power or its plan to attack/obliterate Israel.
EXCUSE ME!!?
The Hamas won the landslide election. People pour their votes to them. Besides, people practiced their right to vote by participated in this election. The world seems to go against them because they are a dangerous group. But, if we give them a chance, things could change. Why? Palestine has over 900 million dollars deficit. It doesn't have the money to pay its governmental/public employees. The country has 50% unemployment. Plus, President Bush and other foreign nations put pressure on Hamas by boycotting them. I think sooner or later Hamas will change its mind. We as global citizens have to let the time tell. Let Hamas rule for awhile and see what happens.
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Until now the war on terrorism has offered a predicament. We were at war with an orginization not a state. No this distinction is blurred even more than the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also the distinction between orginization and state is blurred in that now can the Palestinians and their government be held responsible for the actions of the party the people elected? Israeli missile strikes might become much more widespread if they answer that question yes.
Well, it would be better for Muslims not to have goverments that resemble Talibans; non-state actors can get away with bombing Westren targets but states and goverments that link themselves with terrorism would find themselves isolated at first and then overrun and heavily cratered with bombs.