Sen. Rockefeller: Iraq Democracy is "Pipe Dream" and Not Desirable; They Can't Handle It

Sunday News-Register (Wheeling, WV) | April 13, 2003 | Justin Anderson

[mountaineer]

As leaders from nations around the globe begin to ponder the type of government post-war Iraq will enjoy, in an interview with the Sunday News-Register, U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., expressed hesitation regarding the possibility of a viable form of a democratic political structure in postwar Iraq.

"The idea of democracy in Iraq is a pipe dream," he said. "Iraq has never been a democracy. One of America's problems is that we are focusing on Saddam and not what is the country of Iraq. We tend to focus on individuals."

To Rockefeller and others in the federal government, the goal of stabilization and normalization is more achievable and far more urgent to the welfare of the Iraqi people. Following regime change, the office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance will be responsible in the initial phases for helping Iraqis restore the delivery of essential services like water, basic medical care and electricity.

If a democracy succeeded in Iraq, it would be a 20-30 year process, Rockefeller said. "(Democracy) is not desirable at this point. The (Iraqi) people are not ready for a democracy."

It will be difficult to win the trust of the Iraqi people after the war. By and large, civilian Iraqis live a tribal existence, Rockefeller said. A mistrust, at least on the parts of the Shiite Muslims in the south of the country, began to flourish during the first Gulf War.

"The Shiites are very slow to respond," Rockefeller said. "(President George H.W.) Bush encouraged them to rebel against Saddam back in 1991 and we just walked away. They were slaughtered."

The Shiites and other tribal factions of the Iraqi civilian population are living in a "very competitive environment," Rockefeller said.

"Most of them are just trying to eke out an existence of poverty," he said. "That kind of existence doesn't breed well for democratic behavior."

President George W. Bush and Biritish Prime Minister Tony Blair had a 20-hour visit in Belfast, Northern Ireland, last week to discuss the future of an Iraq without Saddam. One of the objectives is the introduction of a democratic state.

"I really don't know how much (Bush) knows about the country," Rockefeller said. "I've read books on it and otherwise researched it. I think that's pretty much what youhave to do to begin to understand a culture. It's not just a question of where your tanks go."

[muslims=borg]

If Hitlery gets elected he will be saying that WE can't handle democracy.

[ThomasMore]

Rockefeller said. "(Democracy) is not desirable at this point. The (Iraqi) people are not ready for a democracy."

Tell that to the Founding Fathers of our country, you a$$hole. How the hell do we get idiots like this in congress?

[okie01]

"Are the Iraqis really nomadic these days, or is Rocky reading from his schoolboy books, when they still roamed the desert on camels? They seem pretty well established in urban areas, from what I've seen."

Nomadic societies rarely display cities with 5 1/2 million people in their midst.

I suspect the Senator's vaunted book-larnin' probably consists of repeated viewings of "Lawrence of Arabia"...

[WestTexasWend]

"I really don't know how much (Bush) knows about the country," Rockefeller said. "I've read books on it and otherwise researched it. I think that's pretty much what you have to do to begin to understand a culture."

Typical of a Rockefeller, Kennedy or tenured professor. I'm sure some of his best friends are despots, too. What he understands about culture amounts to nothing. What George W. Bush understands about PEOPLE trumps the Snob Mob every time.

[friendly]

Jay Rockefeller: what an lying incredible piece of bovine feces this evil limousine liberal is. 20 years to never before a democracy in Iraq?

1945 Nazi Germany to 1949 fully democratic Bundesrepublik (West Germany).

1945 Fascist Japan to 1950 fully democratic Japan.

[friendly]

Jay Rockefeller: what an lying incredible piece of bovine feces this evil limousine liberal is. 20 years to never before a democracy in Iraq?

1945 Nazi Germany to 1949 fully democratic Bundesrepublik (West Germany).

1945 Fascist Japan to 1950 fully democratic Japan.

[Publicus]

"West Virginia clearly isn't ready for democracy."

-That remark is as stupid as the one Rockefeller made aginst the Iraqis. WV already IS a state of the Union.


>Inbred hillbillies, coal miners, and mountain men?"

-How about beautiful, hardworking, ethical Americans who have never harmed you nor deserve your insulting them on the world wide web? How about the thousands of them who toiled under backbreaking conditions to keep your whiny ass warm this winter? How about Jessica Lynch and the other heroes from that great state who gave their lives fighting our nation's wars so that even small minded fools like yourself could spew out offensive drivel without fear of being visited and punished in the middle of the night. They are Americans and deserve your respect.


>Give these people the vote, they'll send a pair of racists to the US Senate.

-You don't know that. How do you know the people of WV actually elected those morons? They came in with enough unearned money and blind ambition to cheat. Besides, who the people of West Virginia elect as their representaives to our great Congress is THEIR business.


>I've never been to West Virginia, but I have done research, consisting of watching several episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies.

-Your life would be much richer and more enjoyable if you "studied" more than just tv shows.

[Publicus]

Heck, I'll do it.

[Publicus]

But we DIDN'T do it in Haiti or Kosova.

[Publicus]

"Representational governance works best in educated societies with working economies, a strong middle class and a culture disposed to reasonable compromise and pragmatism and a nice eye for personal freedoms"

Like 18th century America?

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

See Post 99

[Publicus]

L-O-L!!!!!

Beautifully put man!

[Publicus]

Simple.

It's spelled c-o-r-r-u-p-t-i-o-n.

Rockefeller could NEVER win on leadership or values so he bribes his way in and WE are ALL paying for it!

Hopefully, our fellow citizens in West Virginia replace the jackasses before we are further harmed with their nonsense.

[Publicus]

L-O-L!!!!

Well said!

[Kenno]

Rockefeller should know about states that don't have democracy. He and Sheets Byrd have done their best to keep West Virginia under their thumbs.

[Publicus]

You are right.

Rockefeller CLEARLY does not trust his fellow Americans THAT's why I cannot trust him to capably represent us.

In fact, I find him to be a national embarrassment.

[CyberAnt]

Okay - and I believe what you're hoping will happen appears to be the plan from the Bush admin.

[WVNan]

Thank you Publicus, for the beautiful defense of our wonderful WV people. I think though that Galahad was being sarcastic. He wasn't serious. Rockefeller is an East coast elitist and as someone has said, a self-absorbed condescending imbecile who got elected with a slick, money-fed campaign.

I think that one of the reasons the people of WV keep voting Democrat is because they are fiercely loyal. Grandpappy and Daddy were Roosevelt, John L. Lewis Democrats and they honor that and continue to vote the "union" party. I think that things are changing and WV is winable given a good candidate and enough money. The fact that Dubya won this state speaks volumes. The people are conservative. They are simply politically naive. In all my travels I have never met more honorable and honest people. They are wise in ways that most can't imagine.

[Bonaparte]

You've got that right, WVN. My greatest mentor came right out of WV coal country.

[Timmy]

First, you are wrong about your claim that Germany and Japan had "no history of democracy.". Hitler after all was democratically elected!

Hitler was NOT elected. His party was successful in the elections which led to Hindenburg appointing him Chancellor.

As for the very limited democracy you mentioned on the Weimar Republic (<20 years) and the Japan thingy (which I don't know enough about to debate, though your comment that Hitler was elected is enough to make me suspect you may not be correct), so what? Remember that Iraq and Lebanon both had short periods of democratic governments in, what, the fifties? Regardless, my point stands. Iraqis are not too "inferior" for democracy to work, and anyone having such a belief is, quite simply, a racist.