Comments on: Can somebody explain this? http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:20:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kaedrin Weblog http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-12081 Kaedrin Weblog Sat, 21 Jan 2006 04:33:11 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-12081 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Baghdad Dweller: "Say it loud and clear: I am a Sunni, I am an Iraqi and I voted" He also has an exclusive picture of Al-Zarqawi and he wants to know why so many Americans don't think Democracy will work in Iraq... [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> […] Baghdad Dweller: “Say it loud and clear: I am a Sunni, I am an Iraqi and I voted” He also has an exclusive picture of Al-Zarqawi and he wants to know why so many Americans don’t think Democracy will work in Iraq… […]

]]> By: dean http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1358 dean Mon, 31 Jan 2005 06:46:38 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1358 Prior commenters are correct, that the online Time poll is worthless as an indicator. However, the result I believe is accurate in one sense. Democracy, as understood informally by Americans, is not merely the free choice of a government by citizens. For us Americans, it connotes a set of interlocking rights, duties, and ideals, such as the separation of powers, equal protection for minorities, rule of law, broad civic participation, and a free press. None of these elements of modern democracy has been realized in any Arab society, ond only a subset has been realized in any Muslim state. It remains to be demonstrated that this full promise of democracy will be realized in Iraq. It's all too possible that Iraq will become a democratically elected tyranny like Russia, a merely formal democracy like Iran, or an instance of one man/one vote/one time. (The January 30 election doesn't count as "one time"; for that first election, under a new constitution, we must wait until December.) I support the American efforts in Iraq, I voted to re-elect Bush, and I fervently hope that a humane and democratic society emerges from the ashes of Saddam's Iraq. But we won't know the outcome of this grand geopolitical experiment for many elections to come. I, for one, will keep my fingers crossed until an election results in the peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Meanwhile, let us indeed celebrate today's first successful step towards a bright future for Iraq! <!-- X-spaminator-strike: bad referer - spambot?, 3 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Prior commenters are correct, that the online Time poll is worthless as an indicator. However, the result I believe is accurate in one sense. Democracy, as understood informally by Americans, is not merely the free choice of a government by citizens. For us Americans, it connotes a set of interlocking rights, duties, and ideals, such as the separation of powers, equal protection for minorities, rule of law, broad civic participation, and a free press. None of these elements of modern democracy has been realized in any Arab society, ond only a subset has been realized in any Muslim state. It remains to be demonstrated that this full promise of democracy will be realized in Iraq. It’s all too possible that Iraq will become a democratically elected tyranny like Russia, a merely formal democracy like Iran, or an instance of one man/one vote/one time. (The January 30 election doesn’t count as “one time”; for that first election, under a new constitution, we must wait until December.)

I support the American efforts in Iraq, I voted to re-elect Bush, and I fervently hope that a humane and democratic society emerges from the ashes of Saddam’s Iraq. But we won’t know the outcome of this grand geopolitical experiment for many elections to come. I, for one, will keep my fingers crossed until an election results in the peaceful transfer of power from one party to another.

Meanwhile, let us indeed celebrate today’s first successful step towards a bright future for Iraq!

]]> By: This isn’t writing, it’s typing. http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1352 This isn’t writing, it’s typing. Mon, 31 Jan 2005 04:13:48 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1352 <strong>Votes of no consequence</strong> Above are the results of recent online polls on the websites of Aljazeera and Time magazine. The the outcome of the first is unsurprising; the second strikes me as more than a bit curious. Are Time readers actually more pessimistic about democracy's ...<!-- X-spaminator-strike: whitelist, -3 --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: bad referer - spambot?, 3 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: crap flooding, 3 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Votes of no consequence

Above are the results of recent online polls on the websites of Aljazeera and Time magazine. The the outcome of the first is unsurprising; the second strikes me as more than a bit curious. Are Time readers actually more pessimistic about democracy’s …

]]> By: JuanB http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1343 JuanB Mon, 31 Jan 2005 01:55:57 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1343 Too many Americans take their liberty for granted. They haven't had to work for it or risk their lives for it. It's just always there. Today it is the Iraqis and Afghans and Ukranians (and the British and American soldiers) who are at the forefront of liberty. Don't waste a thought on the 61%. Keep setting the example for the rest of the world. <!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Too many Americans take their liberty for granted. They haven’t had to work for it or risk their lives for it. It’s just always there. Today it is the Iraqis and Afghans and Ukranians (and the British and American soldiers) who are at the forefront of liberty. Don’t waste a thought on the 61%. Keep setting the example for the rest of the world.

]]> By: Loren http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1342 Loren Mon, 31 Jan 2005 01:45:58 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1342 Yes, it's because Islam and democracy cannot coexist. The constitution will have in it something along the lines of "no law can be made that conflicts with sacred Islamic law", which of course is only determined by clerics, and law will no longer be made by the people. Islam allows for no choice. Democracy is all about choice.<!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Yes, it’s because Islam and democracy cannot coexist.
The constitution will have in it something along the lines of “no law can be made that conflicts with sacred Islamic law”, which of course is only determined by clerics, and law will no longer be made by the people.
Islam allows for no choice. Democracy is all about choice.

]]> By: nick http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1328 nick Sun, 30 Jan 2005 22:29:39 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1328 The world has obviously underestimated the Iraqi people. Keep proving them wrong!<!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> The world has obviously underestimated the Iraqi people. Keep proving them wrong!

]]> By: Amy http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1313 Amy Sun, 30 Jan 2005 20:38:47 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1313 I just voted yes about a hundred times-- on behalf of the Iraqi women and men who are my new heros!<!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: short field, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> I just voted yes about a hundred times– on behalf of the Iraqi women and men who are my new heros!

]]> By: Betty http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1310 Betty Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:54:03 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1310 Praise God for the courage and protection of the Iracqui people. What a wonderful victory with dancing in the streets even! Thanks to the US military and the Iracqui police and soldiers. You all did great, every man,woman and child....I would dance if I could!<!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Praise God for the courage and protection of the Iracqui people. What a wonderful victory with dancing in the streets even! Thanks to the US military and the Iracqui police and soldiers. You all did great, every man,woman and child.…I would dance if I could!

]]> By: ddurbin http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1307 ddurbin Sun, 30 Jan 2005 19:15:45 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1307 TIME is an extremely liberal biased publication. It barely thinks Democracy will work in the US. <!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> TIME is an extremely liberal biased publication. It barely thinks Democracy will work in the US.

]]> By: Richard Laycock http://www.roadstoiraq.com/2005/01/30/can-somebody-explain-this/comment-page-1/#comment-1306 Richard Laycock Sun, 30 Jan 2005 18:08:47 +0000 http://www.roadstoiraq.com/?p=178#comment-1306 Just proves what kind of numbskull idiot bothers to surf Time's website. A poll of Michael Moore lovers has nothing to do with the America that's holding the reins of power in Washington these days, thank God. The poll for today should be; Whither next, Syria or Iran? R. <!-- X-spaminator-passed: IP check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: email check --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author check --><!-- X-spaminator-strike: empty field - author url, 1 --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: author url --><!-- X-spaminator-passed: comment body --> Just proves what kind of numbskull idiot bothers to surf Time’s website.
A poll of Michael Moore lovers has nothing to do with the America that’s holding the reins of power in Washington these days, thank God.

The poll for today should be; Whither next, Syria or Iran?

R.

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