In some ways America’s democracy is one losing its way. This is becoming most apparent under the junior Bush. The war in Iraq is difficult to justify, and if ever it is sustained, it will be on terms solely defined by the victors. Out of all the reasons declared for going to war, only one remains somewhat standing – Sadam was a tyrant who needed deposing, and the country will be better off as a democracy. I yearn to be convinced and suspect I’m not alone.

American people have shown greatness in many ways, and will continue to a lesser degree, in some areas, for a while yet. It is really sad to watch it crumble away with increasingly bad foreign policy. The irony of the article for me is that that Americans, like us to a lesser extent, are finding their democracy increasingly stifling – seems they needed the war in Iraq more than Iraqi people needed rescuing … they need Guantanamo just as we needed the Pacific solution…

Someone here on OLO, recently posted a link to a US web site lamenting the election results in Iraq, claiming greater electoral rights for Americans to Iraq itself. Having just spent all this money to rescue that country from its dark forces of evil, American voters (i.e. taxpayers) have nothing to show for it except a “wrong” result.

Rather then exporting democracy, I now suspect America is outsourcing it instead.

Seeker.
Just what is the wrong result?
To me the 'wrong result' occurred the last time they held elections in Iraq. Do you get that?

"seems they needed the war in Iraq more than Iraqi people needed rescuing"

Seeker, tell that to the hundreds of thousands of Kurds and Shiite muslims who were persecuted and murdered by Saddam. Tell that to the people of Kuwait who had their country raped and destroyed by him.

Saddam was a major destabilising force in the Middle East, he was a major sponsor of terrorism. No "war on terror" could ignore the role of Saddam Hussein.

8 million people voted Seeker. Is that not enough for you. 8,000,000 people, 58% of the electorate.
When Poland was given the chance to cast off its Marxist Regime in 1989 the popular vote only attracted 40% of the electorate & was held in much more secure & stable climate then the brave Iraqi voters had to endure. Think about it Seeker. They are well & truly more affected by the USA then you or I are, & yet they still voted.
Will anyone from the left ever concede this point?
& how can we take them seriously if they don't.

I am not from the left.

The “wrong result” I was referring to, is the result of the latest Iraqi election, as I perceive, it is the view of majority of Americans. Whether this is loudly and unequivocally declared, is not my point. It just seems like in another few years, we could be looking back at Iraq, and pointing to reckless American foreign policy.

I don’t dispute the significant turnout, or the courage of Iraqi voters. Bozzie may well be partly right in his criticism – Sadam may well have been a destabilising force, but certainly not the only one, or the worst offender. Certainly he turned out to be a little more harmless than the spin masters claimed. If he was the scapegoat for America’s muscle flexing in the region, then so be it. But I would like to have been told that was the objective, and I would have argued, as would many MORE others, against it. The lies and fear campaigns used to justify it, did not only turn some right thinking people into temporary lefties, but have the potential to backfire on the west and its war on terrorism.

My observation that we may not be exporting democracy, but instead outsourcing it, refers to exaggerated or misrepresented external threats. It is about Iraqi people indirectly voting in the US elections, and conversely, American’s claiming the right to vote in Iraq (by not voting for the clerics, the “right result” would have been achieved). It is about terrorists having a vote. About Israel … the Saudis, Iran.

It is about sidestepping domestic law, as in having foreign posts such as Guantanamo where anything goes. About using foreign threats to fix domestic political issues. About moving right, by trickery and stealth (although this is not at the top of my objection list).

I just think, that in areas where we feel our democratic process is failing, we are outsourcing it to some extent. Watch out for more of that.

Here’s hoping the Iraqi people enjoy their new found freedom for a long time to come.