Iraqi Center for Research and Strategic Studies (ICRSS) recently published another survey of the Iraqi people. According to the survey, most Iraqis are glad that Saddam was captured, agree that he was a criminal, and think that he should be tried and executed for his crimes. Iraqis worry about security and think that Saddam’s capture will improve the security situation.
On all issues surveyed, such as the Iran-Iraq war, the invasion of Kuwait, mass graves, and so on, Iraqis think that these actions by Saddam were criminal and not justified. The only exception is the 1991 unprovoked Iraqi attack on Israel. 82% of Iraqis think that the attack was justified.
This little piece of information, in my view, reflects the Iraq’s Khilafi culture. Iraqis see Saddam as criminal for attacking other Arabs or Muslims, who are seen as at least potential Khilafi. But his attacks on Free Worlders are seen as fully justified.
Today, the stated goal of the American government is to build a democratic Iraq. But we must not confuse democracy with freedom. Freedom is a praiseworthy goal. Democracy is a tool that is often used to achieve this goal, but, in my opinion, is not a goal in and of itself. To achieve freedom, in addition to democracy, the people of a country must respect the basic rights of all human beings. Ultimately, a people with a slave mentality cannot be free. If Iraqis do not change their attitudes, and I hope they do, Iraq will continue being another third world backwater, even if it is nominally a democracy. |