Iraqi Democracy – Not American

The poll for the historic referendum has closed. It occurs to me that the cost of democracy will have a different “flavor” than that of the U.S. If they come out of the 15^th century then good, but if it means the continued subjugation of women and non-Muslims then one has to ask what this all has been about.

If all the war accomplished was the changing of a murderous regime then good, but when women were allowed to vote for the first time and to hold jobs in government is great. One could ask if it was worth the bloodshed, to which I cannot yet offer a reply.

Another thing that was accomplished was the possibility of free speech. They can speak their mind without fear of a firing squad or being found in a mass grave. Was that worth the lives? Not there yet.

Could the answer be in the fact that Saddam Hussein cannot murder his own people or perform genocide? Is it that we stopped another Rowanda or Holocaust? Yes! When people can live without fear that their ethnicity is going to get them killed or a woman can have a say in the laws she is required to live by then the bloodshed has been worth it.

When they announced 60% of their population went to the polls I was thrilled. I am thrilled because in it is so easy to not care about an election. It is so easy to be cynical and put off by the junk. But the last time I went to the poll there was no threat of a bomb or snipers. My male family was not beating me for wanting my right to have a say.

I will not pretend that this war is popular, but it has accomplished that which most Americans have forgotten. Someone died for us to have some of those same rights.