I would like to address the questions asked and then maybe point something out that I have not seen in the replies to the original post and topic.

1. Is it possible that Iraqis will opt to be more like Iran and Saudi Arabia than countries like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon and Jordan? If so could this still be considered a "Democracy" with some of the rights questions at stake?

I think this will only be answered by time and how they actually implement the "laws" they lay down. What is interesting is that there was a loud cry from some camps that the womens rights would be lost in this process, yet I see there were women on the committee that put this document together.

2. Is this the type of government that the Bush administration had in mind when they set out to liberate Iraq? If not, what action do you foresee the US Government taking if any?

I do not think that the US would, or for that matter, could, do anything to a elected government. Since we have been touting that is what we wanted, the Iraqi people to have their "own" government and be self sufficient, it would be hard now to say, oh no thats not the one we want.

3. Would this type of government help or hurt our objectives in the war on terror?

I think it would help. Yet, it very much depends on the actions that the government would take against any terrorist once the US stops being in the forefront of the military and police actions there.

Now the point I would like to add is has everyone forgotten about Turkey? Its a republican parliamentary democracy, that is 99.8% muslim. It is a perfect example of the fact that a muslim democracy can work, to some extent. They are mostly Sunni Muslim (80%) and Kurdish (20%). So why can't it work in Iraq? I think it can given the time and assistance it may require. (Facts on Turkey were taken from here: Turkey from the World Fact Book.

Well, I'm sure that Dan Rather wishes that powerline wasn't around, but as we discussed over at "Are blogs legitimate news sources" blogs can be a source of legitimate news. What "mainstream" news source should I view to find good news polls coming out of Iraq exactly?

As for hack blogs - Are you suggesting that we ignore posts that refer to blog-only sources? I can't find anything in the rules stating that I may not source and attribute a blog, especially a blog that is merely translating an article from arabic.

Not to mention....











Perhaps we'd be better off debating the substance rather than the source, especially at the pace with which "the media" is evolving.
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Well, if 88% of the Iraqi people are going to vote on a Constitution, given the rules of the game, their wishes are going to be implemented. Whether that means that 3 of the 4 Sunni provinces reject it, it certainly doesn't make the high levels of participation "irrelevant." More like "self determination."

As for your comment "It is one thing to have all sorts of nifty language in your constitution, it is quite another to follow it. " I think that we would all agree that the USA shouldn't go throwing stones here, especially in advance.