Will democracy flourish in Iraq?

I suppose interpretation on this poll depends on where in Iraq you're stationed or whether your sole knowledge is based on the media. From what I've witnessed, the people do yearn for freedom. But they have no experience with it. The general population has lived under oppression so long that we find many are "helpless" when it comes to taking charge or knowing how to handle situations. Living in poverty and fear limits what experiences a person will have to deal with.

I believe the coalition is the only factor holding several forces at bay. The premonition of security provided by our presence is enough that some are willing to take a chance at democracy. The moment that security is gone, their willingness to be exposed will dissolve. Of course, that is why part of our mandate is to train and establish them on the path with their own Iraqi Security Force prior to leaving.

As they stand now, my impression is that religious interpretation to them is what state's rights were to the founding fathers of the US Constitution. Would they fourish as three separate nations? Maybe two of them ... the third would likely be stuck in the desert with zero economic resources. Would they flourish as a republic of three islamic states? I think that would be more likely, sort of as a co-habitation of land much as many of the islamic nations are now in the middle east. Still, there would be strife regarding the overall representation from fear that government may suppress one of the religious interpretations as invalid.