Freedom of speech breaks out at recent Iraqi electoral debate sponsored by Friends of Democracy. Be sure to tune in to C-Span tomorrow between 2 and 4 p.m. EST for Spirit of America's election event, "a unique, more complete picture of the elections with ground-level news and views from the Iraqi people." Yah! Also available online.
"The calamity was that the entire Iraqi people had no way of expressing their views or deciding their future, not even to anticipate what lies ahead. No criticism of any sort was permitted, even if it did not touch the government or the dictator," writes Ali, one of Friends of Democracy's correspondents in Missan province, who "doesn't have many particularly warm feelings for the US occupation forces. But nothing can match his fury for the old regime and those who would subvert the nascent democracy:
Is there a single Iraqi, except the stooges of the Baathist regime, who can pretend he had somewhat of a “life” in the days of the Baath? Certainly not. The majority of Iraqis were continuously living in fear throughout the whole country. For no apparent reason, any Iraqi could be a target of the “noble deeds” of the leader and his henchmen: assassination, arrest, exile, humiliation, terror and similar “blessings” by the “inspired leadership.”
Shades of Natan Sharansky's "fear societies." In another post, Friends of Democracy correspondent Kasem covers "Iraq's first electoral debate." The wild wooliness of the affair as reported by Kasem gave us reason for hope, reminding us of the passion and rowdiness of our own local and national electoral debates. Loud voices and hyped rhetoric, yes. Murder and mayhem, no. We loved Kasem's capsule summary:
It is worth mentioning that the debate was very hectic at times and that the two candidates presented the problems of the governorate in a way far from expressing a clear political concept.
The "SCIRI" preparing flyers for their electoral campaign in Najaf (Friends of Democracy photo)
That sounds warmly -- hotly under the collar? -- familiar. Can you say Teddy Kennedy and Barbara Boxer? We're cautiously optimistic -- who isn't, other than Teddy and Barbara & Company -- about tomorrow's returns. Many happy ones, Iraq. You are leading the way to the light at the end of the tunnel. We're planning a feast here in honor thereof (Eggplant? Why eggplant? -- the syntax reminds us of our blogpal Rob A's moniker -- You'll soon find out). Watch this space.
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