Former U.S. President George W. Bush has praised those who challenge authoritarian rule in the Middle East and elsewhere and cautioned that the U.S. cannot fear the uncertainty that follows the fall of such a regime.

Mr. Bush spoke Tuesday in Washington, where he launched a project to collect videos of interviews with political dissidents around the world.

The former Republican president said the recent Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East are “the greatest challenge to authoritarian rule since the fall of communism” .

And he said the U.S. must support democratic reform wherever it takes place.

Addressing the reason for opening the collection, Mr. Bush said one way to encourage freedom is to highlight and honor those who make it the cause of their lives.