Acorns in the Middle East

When the U.S. and its allies booted Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in 1991 it
was left to the Iraqi people to boot him out of Baghdad. Back then, in a
simpler world, it was considered the right and obligation of a nation to
choose its own leadership. Saddam was put on notice that he couldn’t punch
out the little kids next door. For the rest, well, that was up to the Iraqis.

Since then, his popularity at home has soared – according to the official
vote tabulations. Whenever Saddam runs for office, the networks can project
him as the winner hours before the polls close. In the latest plebiscite, he
won with 100 percent of the vote and 100 percent of those eligible
participated.

If democracy on Saddam’s patch is less than vigorous, consider this dispatch
from one of our personnel in the U.N. protectorate in Northern Iraq: “The
local Kurdish administrations are taking their civil duties seriously and
there are encouraging signs of growing political maturity. Real efforts are
being made to develop civil society and some of these efforts are being
supported by NGOs (non-governmental organizations). For example, in 2000 and
2001, municipal elections were held in all three governates. NGOs, invited
by the local Kurdish administration to act as international observers, found
the elections to be free and fair.”

When Saddam is gone, perhaps all Iraqis will vote in free and suspenseful
elections. The seeds of democracy might even be close at hand.

Ed Fowler
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(c) 2002 Millennium Relief & Development Services, vol. 2 no. 32
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