"Democracy takes time," so, what's their hurry?

[bigtree]

MR. MCCORMACK: Is there an Iraqi journalist?

SECRETARY RICE: I think this woman, this woman all the way in the back.

QUESTION (Via interpreter): Don’t you think that this an interference in the Iraqi affair in determining its fate, then especially that Iraq is supposed to be sovereign and this is against the principles of democracy?

SECRETARY RICE: Okay. The question was whether or not this is interference in Iraqi affairs. Iraq is sovereign. And is it also -- is it democratic to do this, I guess, is the way to put it.

First of all, we've been very clear that Iraq is indeed sovereign. That is indeed what we fought and which -- for what our people died. So let's be very clear that there are Americans and Brits and others who gave their lives so that Iraq could be liberated from a tyrant and Iraq could be sovereign. The transfer of sovereignty took place almost two years ago now and we have done nothing as an international community and as a coalition force but support the process by which the will of the Iraqi people will be made evident.

That process has now resulted in the election of responsible and representative leaders for the Iraqi people. And all we're saying is that the Iraqi people and, indeed, the international community which has supported the Iraqi people, needs to see that process of government formation come to an end. Again, it is not our job to determine who will do that. But as the Secretary said yesterday, we should not say and will not say who the prime minister of Iraq should be, who the president of Iraq should be, who the speaker should be. But that there must be -- and soon -- responsible leaders in those positions is something that I think the international community has a right to expect.



The U.S. is in a hurry. The Bush regime is signaling their impatience with their illegitimate Iraqi children, their junta, for their reluctance to elevate a leader of their puppet authority to a position of dominance over all of the disparate factions in Iraq.

Bush himself joined his Secretary of State in the goading, chiding them "to stand up and do their job." But, he doesn't really believe that democracy can be rushed. Neither do the folks around him.

"We must remember building a democracy takes time," First Lady Laura Bush said during the last election.


"The president is inspired by the actions of the Iraqis who went out to vote and the thousands who are protesting in Lebanon," White House communications director Nicolle Devenish said. ''But he certainly has a long view and understands that democracy takes its time
and winds its way through these places."


In another reference, apparently to the new regime in Iraq, Bush said that finding the full promise of representative democracy takes time, and freedom is finding its way into both Iraq and Afghanistan. "We must continue to show our commitment to democracy in those nations," Bush said.


"I fully understand it takes time for free societies, truly free societies to evolve. I don't expect instant success."


“Democracy takes time and with this election, no one expects to be perfect,” White House spokesperson Scott McClellan said.


However, "we must remember that building the institutions of a thriving democracy takes time," Rice cautioned.


Building democracy takes a long time, Rice said.


SECRETARY RICE: Right. Well, this is hard; and I think that everybody knows that the American people have been asked to support a complex and difficult task in trying to help the Iraqis in overthrowing a dictator, then to create a viable and united and democratically -- democratically based state. This is hard work. And it is work that requires that we, as Americans, reach down in ourselves and look for the kind of patience and generosity that we have exhibited in the past in understanding that democracy takes time.


Rice said that nations cannot become disheartened and that achieving
democracy takes time.


"So it's going to be a slow process. We know that the building of democracy is tough. It doesn't come easily. We have our own history. When our Founding Fathers said, "We the people," they didn't mean me. It's taken us a while to get to a multiethnic democracy that works . . . So I think that it's going to be very hard.
It's going to take time."


And so the Administration, I think, has said to the American people that it is a generational commitment to Iraq, but it is not a generational commitment in military terms; it is a commitment of our support to them, our political support, and an understanding that democracy takes time. But they're making very rapid progress.


“Democracy is hard and democracy takes time,” (Rice) said.


You know, the political process, as you well know and you all know better than I, is one of coming to terms with divisions, coming to terms with institutions that mitigate against people's sense of alienation," Rice said. "It takes time, it takes effort, sometimes the compromises are a bit imperfect at first. But over time, it gets better."


"Our own history shows democracy takes time and occasional setbacks are inevitable."


Bush: We can also expect that the elections will be followed by days of uncertainty. We may not know for certain who's won the elections until the early part of January -- and that's important for our citizens to understand. It's going to take a while. It's also going to take a while for them to form a government. The work ahead will require patience of the Iraqi people, and require our patience, as well.

So, what's their hurry?

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. It's costing a fortune to be there in such force. They want a nice

simple and supplicant puppet government to order around that supports itself on the oil revenue.

[bigtree]

3. then on to Iran, perhaps

[Canuckistanian]

2. "Patience is a virtue...

... but, for the love of Christ, will you guys get your shit together?...... Ooops, did I say that out loud?"

[bigtree]

5. all of the talk about increased attacks if Bush hits Iran

and all of those troops hunkered down in the green zone . . .

[azurnoir]

4. It's because the Iraqi

government stood up for it self that this is happening. About 2 or 3 days prior to *'s "I won't, don't, can't, wouldn't, shouldn't" support the current Iraqi governments reelection, a high ranking Iraqi official of al-Jaffari's told * to hand over all Iraqi security matters to them or America butt out. This happened after the US allegedly bombed a mosque during prayer's. The * spin was dizzying.

[bigtree]

6. Iraq shelves political talks despite US pressure

"Iraqi President Jalal Talabani speaks to reporters after meeting new foreign ambassadors in Baghdad. Iraqi leaders shelved talks on forming a government despite a warning from the United States and Britain against any further delay, as at least 23 were killed in violence across the country."

http://www.terra.net.lb/wp/Articles/DesktopArticle.aspx?ArticleID=278961&ChannelId=4

[bigtree]

7. Iraqi PM Refuses to Quit, Despite US, British Pressure

Irish Sun
Wednesday 5th April, 2006

Iraq's embattled Prime Minister Ibarhim al-Jaafari is refusing to give up his candidacy to lead the country's next government, despite strong appeals from the United States and Britain.

Mr. Jaafari told Britain's Guardian newspaper that his nomination by majority Shi'ite legislators was a "democratic process" that must be followed.

Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw visited Baghdad to press for the formation of a government as soon as possible.

President Bush Tuesday urged Iraqi politicians to form a government without further delay. He said every day of delay is another day of violence in the war-torn country.

http://story.irishsun.com/p.x/ct/9/id/dee74e56a79f263d/cid/2411cd3571b4f088/

[enigma000]

8. But how long a time are Americans willing to wait?

The US has been in Iraq 3 years now. I expect that sooner or later the American public will turn against this war and demand the troops return home. They have been patient so far, but this could change.

All we are taking about here is forming a national unity government. Other countries do this all the time - why can't Iraq? If the leaders chosen by the Iraqi people just can't come to an agreement, why should the US continue to protect them? Why should the US continue to train an Iraqi army and fund reconstruction?