Iraq: Lacking Democracy for Years to Come

RE: Region Unimpressed By Balloting in Iraq (3/9/10)

To the editor:

On Sunday, Iraqi's rushed to elect new parliament and to take part in their new democracy. However, can we really call this a democracy? Yes, they now have voting, but it's questionable whether or not their votes even count. It's sometimes seems as though they are simply voting to fix their image rather than correcting any political wrong doing. They now call themselves a democracy, but that is just something being said. Other than being able to vote, their is really nothing democratic about Iraq. They do not have freedom of speech because their media networks are restricted and violence stills erupts every day over religious choice. The author of the article expresses concern for Iraq becoming the next Iran; referencing a future political uproar like that in Iran. Their votes really seem to mean nothing. Iraq still has a very long ways to go on it's road to democracy.