I am not claiming that German and Japanese democracy in the 1920s or 1930s were ideal though German democracy would have survived had it not been for the depression. I am simply pointing out that the comparison to Iraq (which has no recent expereince with democracy, a comparatively weak middle class, and no true sense of nationhood) falls flat. You are right about the Japanese constitution but the Japanese would have rejected a return to militarism in any case by 1946. They certainly did in the 1946 election under the pre-war constitution when they embraced the ballot over the bullet by voting in pacifist social democrats. On this point, please note that that Japanese have been completely free since the 1940s to change their Constitution but haven't). Why not? Because it was consistent with public opinion and cultural trends since the beginning.
The fact that emperor was stripped of power was no big deal. He had become pretty much become a symbolic figure since the turn of the century and, prior ot the Meji restoration, had no power at all.
I am not claiming that German and Japanese democracy in the 1920s or 1930s were ideal though German democracy would have survived had it not been for the depression. I am simply pointing out that the comparison to Iraq (which has no recent expereince with democracy, a comparatively weak middle class, and no true sense of nationhood) falls flat. You are right about the Japanese constitution but the Japanese would have rejected a return to militarism in any case by 1946. They certainly did in the 1946 election under the pre-war constitution when they embraced the ballot over the bullet by voting in pacifist social democrats. On this point, please note that that Japanese have been completely free since the 1940s to change their Constitution but haven't). Why not? Because it was consistent with public opinion and cultural trends since the beginning. The change of Japan and Germany from tyrannical to Democratic nations is one of the greatest political sucesses in history.
Both Democratic nations had to be protected so they could survive long enough for the people to see that Democracy, though messy at times, can be effective.
I do not see why Iraq cannot follow in the same path if given protection and time to get on its feet.
What we have in Iraq is the MSM depicting the entire nation in turmoil, when a small fraction of it is directly effected by these terrorist attacks.
I am not saying that there will not be problems, nor that any particular type of Democratic Government be imposed.
The greatest threat to Islamic facism in the Mideast is the growth of representive Government in that region.
That is why they are fighting against it with such determination.
The fact that emperor was stripped of power was no big deal. He had become pretty much become a symbolic figure since the turn of the century and, prior ot the Meji restoration, had no power at all.
I only brought up the Emperor because you commented on his remaining in power.
The fact is that while the Emperor may not have political power, he was viewed as being divine and had great moral prestige, enough to end Japanese resistance in WW2.