The Foreign Service Journal, March 2007

cratic reforms. That said, even dicta- torial leaders, because of their fear of international ostracism, are willing, at least formally, to grant full human rights to their citizens. The problem lies in implementing these rights, and here is where regularly applied inter- national pressure often prevents wan- ton abuses. By careful use of such pressure, the United States and other Western powers can help many Arab regimes to move in a positive direc- tion. Reform Educational Systems Although Arab and Muslim gov- ernments are aware that their educa- tional systems need massive over- hauling, most of the region has not made nearly enough effort to adapt to a fast-changing world. Tens of thousands of madrasahs, funded mostly by Saudi money and scattered throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds, teach Koranic studies that are based on a Sunni Wahabism laced with poisonous teachings against the United States and Jews. Left unchecked, these schools will not turn out scholars but the next gener- ation of terrorists. Pakistan, for example, has thousands of such Saudi-funded schools, because the government does not have the resources to educate its large and growing population. What Arab kids are learning today and how that affects their view of the world are immensely important for the future of democratic reform. Therefore, helping Arab states to modernize existing schools or to build new ones, moderate religious studies, and modify or delete anti- American materials is essential, how- ever daunting a project it may seem. The United States and other Western nations can help by persuad- ing the Saudi government to re-eval- uate the teaching requirements and temper course content in these schools; providing direct assistance to M A R C H 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 65