No matter how many troops we have in place or how long they stay, we cannot impose a parliamentary democracy there any more than the insurgents can impose a theocracy.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The view that we hold in Iraq now is this - that democracy is associated with elections. I believe that elections are possible.
I don't think Iraq could be transformed overnight into a democracy. How can you take a country that doesn't have any kind of tradition of democracy, where its people have been brutalized and repressed for decades, and suddenly impose Jeffersonian ideals?
Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.
But at the same time, I think we recognize we can't impose democracy from without, particularly American-style democracy. We need to work with those elements in the region that are moving towards a reformed process and there are a number of them.
Saddam's ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections.
I am all in favour of democracy in Iraq.
It will take years to bring Iraq the democracy it deserves.
As much as we Egyptians treasure our military, acting alone it cannot provide the legitimacy to lay the foundations for democracy.
The United States is not for democracy in Iraq, it's for setting up a puppet government.
So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy.