Of those Americans who will carp about Iraq’s elections being no better than a census (with the country cleaving along sectarian/ethnic lines), and who will underscore many other imperfections, I would simply ask that they look at their own history. It took the U.S. until 1787 to adopt the Constitution, until 1870 to (very imperfectly) enfranchise black adult males, until 1920 to enfranchise adult females, and until 1964-65 to guarantee voting rights to black citizens. Democracies go through a very long process of consolidation. It will not take the Iraqis anywhere near as long as it took us, because there are examples for them to emulate, or to beware of. It takes time—sometimes a very long time—to apportion power among different groups within a nascent political system. What Iraq has achieved in five years is a political wonder, and those who would deny that are being very, very dishonest.Thanks, of course, due to President Obama's decision to stay the course of victory instead of fulfilling his promises of withdrawal and defeat. Pity that Joe Biden couldn't have gotten on board before 2010.
The above reminds me of a soliloquy in John Wayne's "The Green Berets". Well heck! Watch it yourself.
The question and the outstanding response begin about the 2:30 mark. Although I recommend the entire clip.
Now that movie obviously contains more than a little propaganda. Movies about the war in Vietnam often do. It also contains more than a little bit of truth as well. Including the fact that it takes time....months....years...and sometimes more for a civilized democracy to fully develop.
A high price was paid to achieve this fledgling Iraqi democracy. A price measured in Iraqi and American blood. Now the Iraqi's have was what few other Arabs have but that most want; an equal voice in how their country is run. We should not rush to dismiss how important that achievement really is.
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