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Iraq's elections tomorrow will be a critical milestone for the Iraqi people and for the promotion of democracy in the region and beyond. Iraqis will go to the polls to elect the country's first long-term (four years) legislature under the new Constitution, one that represents the sovereign will of the Iraqi people.
The selection of a new government by the Iraqi people is the final step in Iraq's transitional political process, and will lead the way to the first constitutional democracy in the heart of the Arab Middle East. Because democracy offers citizens the opportunity to participate in shaping their own future, it is a potent weapon against terrorism, and the democratic process in Iraq will influence the entire region.
The start of Saddam Hussein's trial, a trial that has become riveting television for all Iraqis, is a reminder of the horrors of his tyranny. Pan-Arab television will also cover these elections closely and the great debate in the Arab world about democracy and dictatorship will continue and most likely gain momentum.
Participation by all Iraqis, women and men, Shi'a, Kurd and Sunni, will ensure that the Council of Representatives and government are truly representative of the Iraqi people. We are especially hopeful that Sunnis will participate substantially, an essential step in denying legitimacy to the insurgents and terrorists.
To ensure a peaceful and prosperous future, the Iraqi people require the sustained help and commitment of the international community. As the Iraqi people continue the transition from tyranny to democracy, from controlled economy to free market, from oppression of minorities to a multi-ethnic state, they will look to their neighbors and the world beyond for assistance.
Contact: Jim Bond or Chase Beamer, U.S. Embassy Public Affairs,
(022) 504-2323
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