Straight Talk with Sam: The Changing Face of the Middle East

Change is not always something that happens quickly. In 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband and reminded him to "remember the ladies" while he worked on our Constitution. Still, it wasn't until 1920 that women's suffrage was amended into the Constitution.

Change in the Middle East is not something that has come quickly either. Many conflicts there predate us and until recently looked as though they would rage on indefinitely. In January the Iraqi people did something that has literally changed the entire dynamic of the region. They voted.

This vote has started a chain reaction of democracy in the Middle East. Not long after Iraqis seized their moment in history, the Palestinians voted. After that Egypt and Saudi Arabia started talking about municipal elections.

While all of this is happening a world away it has a profound effect on the United States. The biggest effect is security. Elected leaders are more likely to be engaged in peace making than supporting terrorists or trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction. They are also less likely to continue cultures that teach hatred of America.

None of this change would be possible without the brave men and woman of America's Armed Forces. I will continue to give them the tools they need to complete their mission. Change is coming and it was the courage and skill of our men and women, many from right here in Missouri, that made it happen. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.

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