Are these pictures showing democracy in Iraq?
102766
Those pictures are awful and the soldiers that did this were punished. What does that have to do with the war in Iraq.
941888
This is a very timely article describing the efforts to protect our rights to vote using force and legal means if necessary.\n\nThis makes a few connections for me:\n\nThe election of a democratic government in Iraq:\nhttp://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/30/iraq.main/\n\nThe efforts and challenges of civil rights and elections:\nhttp://www.civilrights.org/issues/voting/details.cfm?id=34487\n\n\nThe elections during the civil rights movement in the United States:\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Summer\n\nThere are so many examples of the struggle for democracy around the world and in our own country.  It seems to be a never-ending struggle.\n\nj
232074
Has any one asked the Iraqis if they WANT the democracy or not? Ofcourse it's OIL, do you think Bush cares about how Iraqis feel?
423903
Yes democracy is.The people are the legislature in a democracy.
300332
I suspected Greasy was trying to line up statements justifying the invasion of Iraq, but he claims he's not and added a negative for the chaotic democracy, that if you speak out you're more likely to be assassinated.  I'm still pointing out that the analogy to Iraq--intended or not--is not accurate.  The forces of democracy also face a military occupation that is widely detested, and infiltration by violent radical foreigners, and you're in danger of sliding into poverty because the economy is falling apart.\n\nIf I pretend this isn't a question about Iraq but a generic country, I'd take the chaotic democracy because most countries aren't as dysfunctional as Iraq is now, and in a fluid situation there is more hope for improvement than in a static situation such as a powerful dictator in total control.  Russia had chaotic democracy for a while and regressed to something like a Latin American pseudo-democracy, but I'd rather have lived through that than Stalin's or Brezhnev's regimes.\n\nI will still point out that the US has a shameful record of trading freedom for supposed security after 9/11.  The authors of the Bill of Rights would be disturbed to see a president repeal large chunks of it by fiat.  Anyone who voted for Bush in 2004 and now dares to lecture the Iraqis about how they should value freedom over security is profoundly hypocritical or uninformed.
593642
There is good article on the BBC website that gives two views on the future in Iraq.\n\nIt summarises both sides of the argument.
889965
YES, \n\n\nafter there is a secure democracy and terrorism is defeated.
444655
Active Army Enlisted, OIF II Veteran.  Despite what is commonly seen in the press and the news networks, the country is steadily improving.  To date, there have been multiple, successful elections, constant improved infrastructure (schools, hospitals, roadways, pipelines, etc.) and a better trained, better supplied military (to include APCs and transport aircraft).\n\nOf course, starting from nothing after the invasion, to it's expected goal, will obviously take a long time.  However, the US must accept the direction Iraq wishes to take with its newfound democracy.  This is a double edge sword that can result in not only a free and successful Iraq, but also a fundamentalist nation, not to far from similar states such as Iran or Palestine.\n\nOne thing that must be remembered that in order to prevent further instability, the US and UK must not force a stable democracy to fast in Iraq.  As it has been seen is many other nations such as Rwanda in the 1990s, when foreign governments intervene with the good intention to produce a stable nation before sed nation is ready to embrace a "mature democracy", the result is further instability and therefore, in the case of Iraq, the increased continued presence of US troops in Iraq.\n\nCase in point, the US was not considered a mature democracy, recognizable to the rest of the world as a first world, influential nation till about 1940 to 1960, around to 180 years after the nation was founded.  As stated before, Iraq needs time and the freedom to set its own government at its own pace.
423649
No. Has anyone else seen the picture of Donald Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam Hussein? The Iraq war is just a smoke screen to take Americans mind off the real problems that we are facing - terrorism, substandard public schools, poverty, etc.
288689
Iraq is like Yuoslavia.  Yuoslavia was an artificial country forced together by a strong dictator.  When the dictator was removed, the country fell apart. Iraq is one of the last remnants of the British-French colonial era.  It was cobbled together by the British as part of an effort to maintain a land route to India.  Iraq is not a homogenous group of people with a common heritage or religion. It consists of Kurds, Sunnis, and Shites.  The best thing for Iraq would be to split it up along the lines of these three groups, just as Yugoslavia disintegrated into several smaller entities.  Short of that, the only way to keep Iraq together as a cohesive unit will be for another strong dictator to appear and bring these diverse groups together by force. The concept of democracy as backed by the United States will never work in Iraq. After the Americans leave the country will either break apart in bloody war or be held together by a ruthless strongman.  Democracy is not and has never been a viable option.
22539
An election doesn't make something democratic, many third world nations have had elections in the PAST but aren't considered democracy.\nFor Iraq to fully become a democracy it must meet some certain guidelines like equal rights for woman.\nAny nation can become democratic if the majority of the people want it to be one.\n\nIf Iraqis want Iraq to be a democracy, it will be one.
574111
No. Iraq will, if at all it sustains democracy, take at least 3 decades to understand the system and get into main stream democratic countries. Religion will be a great hindrance to fully open up like a normal democracy. Situation does not change dramatically and I am not sure if any change at all will be possible.
1116569
Have the Iraqi's formed a democracy of their own choosing? Yes. Is Saddam removed from power and on trial for his horrible crimes? Yes. Is Iraq forming its own military and police forces to be able to protect itself? Yes. Sounds like we are winning to me.
818353
uh...democracy's side
943775
After the war is won, Iraq is a functioning Democracy, and the Iraqi government and military can stand alone.
806961
Both have articles championing democracy and freedom
130946
Hey .. hey .. wait a minute \n\nWhat .. Democracy .. is it Georgie W and Mafiooooos kind of Democracy ur talking about .. ??\n\nIt is non of ur business anyway ..