Keith Hudson wrote: > In Switzerland (from > what I can judge) quite small communities, even individuals (who can > initiate referenda if they're good organisers), have a great deal of power.
That's right. CH is even the only country with direct democracy at the national level. > The word 'democracy' means power belonging to the people, but in practice > true power can be very remote indeed, however 'democratic' the government, > particularly in countries with large populations. Ironically, the two countries who claim to "democratize" Iraq have very little democracy themselves -- basically, it consists of choosing every four years among two candidates with similar programs (with a rather theoretical third option which has no real chances for majority). I.e. no real choice at all. And the same two countries who claim to improve the infrastructure and social struture to Iraq, have utterly failed in maintaining their own structures (health care, power grid, social security, education etc.) No wonder they fail in Iraq too, contrary to their obligations under international law as occupying forces. So the rhetoric of "bringing democracy and structures to Iraq" is really a case of the pot calling the kettle black. (Anyone who believed it should look just how "democratic" the pro-U$ puppet regimes in the Middle East really are, such as in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, not to mention the only remaining Apartheid state in the world.) It was already a bad joke in the Clinton era (with Madhen Halfbright saying the 500,000 dead Iraqi children were "worth it"), and it's an even worse joke with the unelected junta in the White House now. The Coalition of the Killing [in both senses of the word] should finally admit the absurdity of this project, and leave the "repair" up to countries and NGOs who actually excel at the values that are supposed to be brought to Iraq. Such as Switzerland and the Red Cross. (Instead, the "coalition" is sabotaging our attempts to help.) But the bill should be paid by the unilateralist bullies who caused the mess (and that includes having brought Saddam to power and armed him) in the first place. But that won't happen because democracy is not the goal at all. Remember that after WWII, some in Germany wanted to adopt the Swiss constitution and system. The allies prevented that, because they were afraid to give "too much" power to the people. Similarly, in Iraq, if given the free choice (including selecting the candidates), the people certainly wouldn't vote for an U$ puppet government. Chris _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
