Democracy in Iraq: A Memo to President Bush.
In the post-Saddam Iraq, the greatest objective for the United States is that of creating a democratic government that will be able to stand the test of time and the weight of sustaining its people. This objective is a primary goal for a number of reasons, the most important of those being the international interests of the United States, and the quality of life and freedom for the Iraqi people. It is also important to note that it is unlikely that the population of Iraq would not fall under another totalitarian government without any outside assistance. Therefore, it must be understood that our presence there is not only beneficial to the progress of the country, but necessary to the beginnings of the government of Iraq. The following will outline for you, Mr. President, the necessary changes in Iraq for democratization to take place, citing specifically the prerequisites to democracy needed in the nation and the region, the steps needed to be taken in order to create said democracy, and the conditions necessary within and surrounding the nation for these changes to remain after the United States and/or other forces are gone from the region. .
Under Saddam Hussein's rule, the Iraqi culture and way of life has not been allowed to develop. As a result, adult illiteracy rate is estimated at more than 40 percent of the population, and joblessness is prevalent. There has been an erosion of the middle class to near non-existence, and the economy is completely dependent upon oil, a market that is very volatile and unstable at times (Sterngold 3). .
These characteristics are disheartening, to say the least, not only in that it is unfair to force the people of this country to live in these circumstances, but also in that these traits are the opposite of those necessary for a democratic society to prevail. Most political scientists agree that among the characteristics of a likely democratic nation are things such as a strong economy and a large middle class, a more literate society with people who are largely ethnically, linguistically, and religiously similar (Lawson 2).