I find Arbibi Ashoy's argument in his letter But would the West accept democracy? simplistic and rhetorical. Liberal democracy is certainly about voting the most popular citizens to become government leaders. In principle, Ashoy is not wrong on this point.

However, whether Osama bin Laden is as popular in Saudi Arabia as he claims is still a question because there are no verifiable or empirical figures to back up this claim as yet. Moreover, there are other equally important features of liberal democracy Ashoy does not seem to understand.

Assuming Osama bin Laden is really as popular as Ashoy claims, there is still the question of how he had become so popular. Osama has never campaigned peacefully and offered any specific policies to improve Saudi Arabia.

His popularity, if true, is premised on popular ignorance, fear, vindictiveness and a xenophobic ideology.

Then there is the question of whether Osama after having (hypothetically) won a liberal democratic election, would abide by the rules of engagement of liberal democracy and call for another election after four or five years to allow himself and his performance to be judged anew.

Would Osama peacefully and gracefully accept defeat in subsequent elections to say, a Muslim woman or a non-Wahhabist candidate?

If not, that would mean that Saudi Arabians could only be allowed to elect Osama once. After that, he would become a lifelong head of a state, and then hand over his position to his son or to another Wahhabist without any more elections being called. One person one vote, but only once.

Let us not to forget Osama's armed gangs, too. During the electoral campaign, would they not kill all other candidates and their campaign workers for being 'infidels', 'Jewish agents', 'Crusaders' spies' or 'traitors to Islam'?

Judging from Osama's mindset and the behaviour of his followers in recent years, the answer seems to be all too obvious.

And what about the media? Would Osama and his al-Qaeda Party allow the mass media in Saudi Arabia to operate independently, freely and objectively? Would Osama and his party tolerate critics like how George W Bush tolerates Michael Moore and Paul Krugman ?

Also, given the inherent bigotry of Wahhabism, would Osama obtain any women's votes? Would his al-Qaeda Party even allow women to vote much less stand as candidates?

Osama cannot meet this modern requirements of liberal democracy, he should forget about running for elections in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else for that matter.