Iraqi Elections

@Janus1:

now take iraq. completely different. the people, had they enough will to rise up against saddam, could not. he was right there, with his gigantic army, and the republican guard, randomly and wantonly killing his people, and ready to crush any who opposed him with brutal force. the people were terrified of him. they could not, had they ever talked about democracy, been able to bring it about, they were too opressed.

i dont say that they can have it now, or will, or should. just that now that saddam is gone, it can come to be, if they want it. otherwise, it will almost certainly be a theocracy.

Yes, they could have brought democracy about not now, not with economic sanctions in place, but on the long run.
Watch Iran, unless the USA ivade it, it is likely to be the first democray in Middle East, with the exception of Israel.
Likewise I expect China to evolve to a democray.

It took 40 years for the East Germans to shake off comunism but in the end they succeded.