IS IT FARE THAT BOSH determine WHAT'S GOOD for IRAQ where is the FREEDOM or DEMOCRACY?
366513
he's the president but whatever he decides has to be passed by congress. like him declaring war had to be passed by congress.  \n\ni do not believe in this war with iraq but i suport the soldiers there.
369938
The only way the US is going to be convinced that Iraq is free, is when the country is totally devastated.\nIt is all politics for oil gone sour.\nNo one in the USA ever believed that it would be a protracted battle.\nNow they are reeling from the costs and results.\nHowever, it is the Iraqis who are humiliated, devastated, demoralized and reaching the brink of destruction.\nThis "civil war" between shias and sunnis would know no end.\nEven the might superpower has no control over it.\nThe USA always was weak on intelligence in the Middle East.\nIt is no surprise.\nAs for the Iraqis, they would have a long road ahead of them, even if the US troops should leave . because for them to have a strong government is not easy.\nThe Shia sunni conflict would see to that .\nThe Kurds are wedged in the middle and have no where to go.\nTough luck for Iraq.\nIt is the cradle of civilization reaching the brink of devastation.
835416
Well, I can tell you from my experiance that I thought we where making a difference. But I can also tell you I have friends I served with that think we are not. So the answers here will deffinately be as varied as the political parties we have in our country. Democracy is something that Iraq has never had. EVER! So there has been alot of problems. Theres Bath party members (That party was banned) Causing trouble. Religious differences, causing trouble. And a large and I mean very large segment of the population that do want to be free, go to work and just raise there families. The Kurds in the northern part of the country have had zero problem with all this and are doing very well. Whats the long term prognosis? I Don't know, I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you and everyone for that matter. I believe in what we tried to do, and certainly feel it was the best for them, us, and everybody else in the world. I was in neighborhoods where everyone shook your hand and smiled, and they where all friendly. Two blocks away someone set up an IED, and people watched them do it, and nobody said a word to us. Theres alot of faces in Iraq, too many to be honest. But we are trying, and probably only time will tell. I'm being optimistic, but there will be others that are not.\n\nYour right Katie, they certainly do, it always made my day brighter.
434806
i think you're missing the point. Freedom gives you the choice to choose your countries destiny. If the afghans vote to have the taleban rule their country again then they can (although US probably won't let that happen). But its their choice. In Iraq, Saddam wasn't elected, he was a dictator, Iraqis can choose to elect someone like him again, but can only do it if they have freedom.\nI don't agree with a lot of Americas foriegn policy, but would argue that no population would not want, enjoy and appreciate the freedom offered them
327643
Democracy means that the people should call the shots. But in order to make important decisions, it is essential to be informed, to know what's going on. Certainly, the Iraqi people did NOT decide to have their country bombed and shattered by an alien nation, although they pretty much expected it to happen. \n\nDemocracy can even be harmful if those who make the decisions are hungry, or uneducated, or ignorant, or simply not fully aware of things. In a poor country, votes can easily be obtained in exchange for food, shot-term solutions or even promises. Democracy goes a long way; it's not just getting the people to cast ballots; it's showing them they way. \n\nSo, I don't approve of the US "spreading" democracy the world round, since they do it by first carpet-bombing the nation and then teaching them to vote. The US "freedom wars" are but an imperialist spree for an oil-thirsty nation. No one with anything resembling a brain would buy that "antiterrorist, preemptive, freedom&democracy" stuff.
797601
What a fricking 'tard.  Iraq is Iraq fault, America is just trying to help put it together so they know what freedom is all about.  Where does your monkey azz live?  If it is not the States then I bet that your country was helped by the U.S. at one point too.
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?
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.
1069068
Americans for the most part like the Iraqi's.  It is the terrorist insurgents and the hangers on to the old regime we don't like.  In the words of Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.  Sometimes you just have to stand up and fight for those rights.  The Iraqi people are just starting to get a chance to fight for their own rights now.  If you are an Iraqi, be proud, vote and support your new free and open Representative Republic.  It may not be perfect, but it beats the hell out of tyranny.
321587
I think it was totally right to go to war, mis-informed people argue otherwise. Do I think Iraq will be able to convert smoothly to a "democracy" state? No, it's not what their used to, they are used to a dictatorship of evil rule. If they like to be free, they will be, if they don't and prefer to live under a dictatorship then they will fight to do so. Promoting stability in Iraq is up to the people, not the war effort.
765452
It is the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).\n\nOperation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) is just that, an operation, which has been completed. OIF Ended when we liberated Iraq.\n\nWhoever gave me a "thumbs down" is a moron. This information is accurate, just because you might not like the answer does not make it a wrong answer.
36749
By not turning it into a religous war, Iraqis will thank you for overthrowing Saddam and they will pay your expenses with Oil but maybe their definition of freedom and democracy is a little different from American one.\nUS has won that war, its better not to start a new one.
535501
To be honest, I don't want the Shia to have a single seat in the Iraqi government, but you're right.  The only way for a democracy of any form to flurish is to have a true representation of the people.  If the Shia won seats, then they should have their elected representative in that seat.  It's what the people want if they voted for it.  \nThe Kurds deserve to be left alone however.  They have been through far too much for one group of people.  It's time for peace in the lives of the Kurds.  It's time for peace for the people of Iraq.
785561
The short answer is "You don't".  These cultures will not readily embrace democracy and would need the US to force them to accept it.  The US insistence on democracy in Iraq is doomed to failure, and this will become increasingly more apparent as the years go by and the fighting against the US presence continues.  Iraq is a special case because if left without a strong dictator the country will tend to break up into separate states, much the same way Yugoslavia did.\n\nTrying to make democracy work in Iraq is like pushing a wet noodle uphill.
583369
Exactly what we're doing.  We weren't there to create governments based on democratic principles.  But, since it was essential to remove Hussein in order for change to occur in the region, the only right resolution after removal was to create the opportunity for everyone in Iraq to participate in electing the government they want.  The other crap you hear is partisan bull that is distorting the real process going on.
889965
YES, \n\n\nafter there is a secure democracy and terrorism is defeated.
785407
This is a very good question, and should have been asked by President Bush before he went charging into a country he had no business going into in the first place.\n\nOriginally I would have answered this question under the assumption that it would be someone the United States decided would be able to play both sides of the political fence.  Someone who would appear to be acting in the best interests of Iraqis, while remembering and acting in the best interests of the country that put them in power; United States.\n\nLately, however, I think the answer is very diferent.  First of all because I think the United States has lost any control of the situation it might have had at one points and I think it has come to the point now where Iraq has clearly demonstrated that it does not want the kind of democracy that the United States would like to impose on it.  The power will ultimately end up in the hands of the clerics that are still fighting over power.  I no longer believe a democracy is possible in Iraq. That is the fault of the United States. The very thing that the United States saught to bring to the Iraqi people is being taken away from them by the very presence of the United States. Democracy is now being associated with the bloodshed and horrible living conditions that have been brought about by the United States invasion of Iraq, and although the United States is far from what is an ideal Democracy, it remains the symbol of democracy by it's own pompous proclimations. People don't want any part of that.  Although there are many advantages of Democracy, the Iraqi people are not seeing it.  They see only the downside of what the West has to offer.