The U.S. government claims it is ultimately fighting in Iraq to promote democracy. And now that victory appears to be imminent over the regime of Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party, the U.S. appears to be organizing the “installation” of a government for Iraq. How Democratic is that? Is this government by Democracy or government by puppetry?
The U.S. claims to be identifying potential leaders from opposition groups within and without Iraq. Included in the array of U.S.-chosen candidates are Americans of Iraqi descent. It wreaks of the installation of the regimes in Viet Nam in the 1960’s, which regimes were sympathetic to U.S. interests but ultimately rejected by their own peoples.
If the U.S. wants democracy in Iraq, why does the U.S. not organize an election in Iraq in which Iraqi citizens step forward and identify themselves as candidates and run for election? Why must the U.S. identify the candidates instead of the Iraqi people themselves?
If the U.S. wants democracy in Iraq, why should the U.S. military govern the country in the post war period? If security is the major concern, why does not the U.S. provide for open elections immediately, and then give the new Iraqi government control of its own oil wells and financial assets and allow the new Iraqi government the power to instruct the U.S. as to how its security could be assured?
Why should not the Iraqi people, and not the U.S. government led by U.S. corporations determine how Iraq is to be rebuilt and by whom? Who built Baghdad originally, Bechtel or the Iraqi people? Who rebuilt Iraq’s facilities after the horrendous destruction of the Gulf War? If Iraq built itself, it can certainly rebuild itself without American corporations fattening themselves off Iraqi assets.
What if the Iraqi people decide that they want American troops completely off their soil, and immediately? Should the American government honor the wishes of the Iraqi people, as expressed democratically?
Is this REALLY about a democratic Iraq? It will not take long to tell.
The writer is a member of several falconry and ornithological clubs and organizations. He contributed above article to Media Monitors Network (MMN) from California, USA.
