Let the bad guys be: David Aaronovitch and Rory Stewart on the perils of foreign intervention

Summary: Taking on the Arab tyrants: Is it any of our business? The democratic convulsions now rocking the Arab world have forced us to confront anew the key question driving western foreign policy: how far should the West be involved in the democracy promotion business? Perhaps the lesson of the Arab Spring is that toppling oppressors is better left to the oppressed. Maybe Iraq would have had its own Arab Spring if we’d just let Saddam be? But then what about Saudi Arabia? Little sign of an end to autocracy there. Do we just keep cosy with the Saudi king, or do we take steps to push him to democratise? And once the dictator is falling or has fallen… what then? Do we just stand back and hope that democracy will flourish in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and elsewhere? If not, how should we intervene to promote the spread of democratic ideals and institutions? These are some of the questions that two of the sharpest debaters on the subject – Rory Stewart and David Aaronovitch – will be crossing swords over this Thursday. Why not come and join the fray