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The evident limits to the application of
democracy in Iraq
18.9.2009
By Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel, for eKurd.net |
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September 18, 2009
The ceremonious release of the "shoe-thrower" and
the postponement of the national census, highlight
the frailty of applying democratic products to
unattached recipients
There is no region in the world more difficult to
apply "off the shelf" Western notions than in the
Middle East. The Middle East, the undoubted cradle
of civilisation, is the same patch of land that has
had its lands soiled with much blood. No where are
rivalries as bitter or animosities as historically
entrenched and deep rooted.
With the rich heritage and millennia old
civilisations comes a disparate patchwork of
ethnicities and religions who often have claimed the
cramp lands as their own at some historical
juncture.
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Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel, senior UK Editor |
A
prime example of age-old tensions, historical battle
for land, supremacy and influence, compounded by an
ethnic mosaic that have been stitched together in an
artificial manner is Iraq.
Judging the context
If democracy was going to be difficult to apply
anywhere in the Middle East, Iraq would be high on
the list. Six years since its liberation from
tyranny, the "new" democratic Iraq, a perceived
success on paper, struggles to plant real seeds of
comfort and assurance of a future where its many
communities and sects can truly flourish under one
roof.
However, as the US administration has realised after
thousands of lost lives and billions of dollars of
expenditure, not forgetting a shattering of its
foreign policy image in the process,www.ekurd.netdemocracy
and western ideals are not something you can simply
"hand-over". Democracy is not like a modern piece of
machinery you can hand to Iraqi farmers and workers,
so that they can leave their previous methods for a
new efficient and technologically advanced solution.
One must judge the context in which you intend to
deploy a notion or initiative and carry out detailed
feasibility studies. As the Bush administration
discovered, firstly Iraq as a harmonious unitary
state even in the face of the eradication of evil is
just a pipe dream. Temporary euphoria or gains can
not bridge long-term socio-ethnic grievances.
Moreover, if all sides do not have the appetite to
implement democratic notions and truly embrace each
group within the greater Iraqi banner as "brothers"
then no amount of US or foreign intervention or new
diplomatic initiatives will ever truly matter.
Shoe-throwing shame
A great example of some existing out-dated
mentalities in the Middle East and particularly Iraq
is the infamous shoe-thrower and newfound
"celebrity", Muntazer al-Zaidi, whose antics as he
launched his shoes and insults at US President
George W. Bush last year, resulted in imprisonment
where he was realised early this week.
Although, the actions of al-Zaidi, who became an
instant icon across the Middle East, may have summed
up the sentiments of many Iraqis, such action by a
professional Iraqi journalist in front of
international cameras does the image of Iraq or its
perception of been bogged by old fashioned
mentalities no good.
The US undoubtedly embarked on a number of costly
blunders, especially in the first few years of
post-liberation. At times the US has done its image
no favours, especially with Abu Gharib prison
scandals and the general perception of its military
operations. However, the idea that Bush is the
fulcrum of all evil in Iraq is naïve, short-sighted
and thinly papers over the historical cracks that
are commonplace in Iraq.
In the six years of post-liberation, is it due to
the US that Sunni and Shiite sectarian hit squads
have been at logger-heads? It is understandable that
anti-US anger may see the US as direct targets of a
large number of insurrections, but why should this
mask the deadly civil war that took place for over a
year in Iraq?
Iraqi lack of political and economic progress is not
the direct fault of the Americans and its leaders
have been just as culpable of prolonging the Iraqi
agony. Why can't al-Zaidi have saved one of his
shoes for its failing leaders?
More importantly, one wonders why no one dared to
take such abrasive actions of al-Zaidi against
Saddam Hussein? It is due to the advent of such new
freedoms in Iraq that one can even dare to take such
action - perhaps America can take some solace from
this fact.
Admittedly, many Iraqis disagreed and condemned the
actions of al-Zaidi. This further highlighted the
sectarian influence behind such moves. Saddam may be
long gone but his legacy lives on in Iraq. At the
end of the day, this is the fundamental bottleneck
of the new Iraq, democracy will never be embraced
whilst some groups still have one eye on the past.
Deep-rooted animosity in Iraq that runs for
centuries is not the doing of the US. It is evident
that Iraq is still plagued by a lack of common trust
with sides reluctant to succumb or compromise to
other parties. Unity and sharing the rich Iraqi cake
in a fair and equitable manner amongst such an array
of opinions and factions is a difficult if not
impossible undertaking. Giving the current Iraqi
political track record, at best a loose form of
democracy can be implemented in Iraq.
Upcoming national elections
Democracy in Iraq is predictable due to its
sectarian and ethnic grounding. Essentially, the
national elections become a national census rather
than a real democratic contest. Kurds are highly
likely to vote for Kurdish alliances,www.ekurd.netShiites
for Shiite groups and Sunnis for Sunni groups. The
aim of each is to muster enough votes and
parliamentary voice not be sidelined in Iraq and to
have a firm stake in proceedings.
Ironically, even when the votes are finally counted
in Iraq, the sides are still no happy. Special
dispensation has been used on many occasions for the
sake of national reconciliation for fear of
alienating other groups. Either way, Iraqis are
unwilling to take the voice and votes of the people
as final.
The best gauge to determine national matters is the
people itself. Ultimately, it is the people and not
a handful of politicians that should dictate key
matters.
This notion could not be more relevant for article
140. Millions voted in favour of the Iraqi
constitution, which amongst many other stipulations,
outlined article 140 as a roadmap for dealing with
disputed territories.
The implementations of legal laws have been hampered
by a lack of appetite from Baghdad to promote
democratic motions, ultimately because of the fear
that the results will not go its way. In the new
Iraq, that so many Western governments have
embraced, such reasons for not implementing
democratic ideal smacks of mentalities been stuck in
the past.
Votes of the people, under strict supervision, never
lie. As with so many disputes across the world, why
can't Iraqis hold referendums and let the very
people governments are in place to serve, decide
what they want?
Why is the UN becoming embroiled in finding
democratic solutions to a democratic principle? How
many ways can one implement democracy on top of
democracy? Problem is not finding a solution to
implement article 140, but for Baghdad finding
solutions NOT to implement constitutional articles.
Postponement of national
census
Not only has article 140 become stalled, but other
democratic steps have been altered in the disputed
regions for the same fear - revealing an insight
into the likely outcome of any referendum.
Provincial elections were postponed in Kirkuk and
now the national census scheduled for autumn is also
postponed. The national census will almost certainly
have functioned as a de-facto referendum, aiding the
claims of rival groups.
The pretext that elections or democratic notions
will fuel tensions is too obvious an excuse. In
reality, it is the non implementation of democracy
that may spark conflict. Moreover, when would be a
good time to resolve a highly-contentious, emotive
and deep-rooted dispute over land and masses amount
of oil?
The answer is that even in 50 years, it will not be
a "good" time to hold elections. However, democracy
is democracy. It is not something that you can pick
and choose as you see fit and democratic elections
must be held regardless of any side fearing the
outcome of its legal results.
About the Author
Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel is a London-based freelance
writer and analyst, whose primary focus and
expertise is on the Kurds, Iraq and Middle Eastern
current affairs. The main focus of his writing is to
promote peace, justice and increase awareness of the
diversity, suffering and at times explosive mix in
Iraq and the Middle East. You may
reach the author via email at: bashdar (at)
hotmail.com
Copyright, respective
author or news agency,
Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel,
ekurd.net
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