A Gift Or Your Life?

You want to feel good about democracy?  My good friend Faisal just arrived in America from Iraq, and is watching his first U.S. inauguration.  He notes, "I have not seen such happy faces."

As for the peaceful transition of power?  Think about what the last few regime changes have looked like to Faisal, whether it be Saddam Hussein’s violent rise to power, or the American led invasion to topple him. 
 
Faisal knows how different this is, "I cant tell you how I envy the Americans on that. I love the idea that Michelle Obama brought a gift to the Bush’s. This itself is a HUGE thing," he writes.

In many parts of the world, outgoing leaders are lucky to leave with their lives, let alone a gift.