"I don't like where this is going so I'll just arbitrarily disqualify the line of argument even though it's logically valid."

> Situation in Syria or "democratic" Iraq is probably more illustrative

Cynicism is a hinder to progress. Reality is messy, but if we tell people to stop aspiring, things can only get worse. Tunisia after the revolution has had its problems but it's still freer than it was, for example; same for Algeria. Chances are even going from a theocracy to a secular dictatorship on the Egyptian model, for example, would be a significant step forward.