Iraqi educators, leaders meet with MNF-I staff

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy | Multi-National Force - Iraq staff and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy | Multi-National Force - Iraq staff and Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division talk about elections at the home of Abu Sar, former Mahmudiyah mayor, Oct. 8, 2008.  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

10.08.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (AA) Public Affairs

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By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Mahmudiyah Qada political leaders met with representatives from the Force Strategic Effects Cell and elections section at the home of Abu Sar, former mayor of Mahmudiyah, Oct. 8, 2008.

The group first met at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Sept. 8, 2008, where local leaders voiced their opinions and concerns regarding the political process and elections in Iraq. Not having enough time at the embassy, Abu Sar extended an invitation to the group to come to his home, where they would have more time and could gather in a more relaxed environment.

"A meeting is a very important element ... in a very important stage in Iraq," Abu Sar said. "By doing elections it means stability for the Iraqi political process... because democracy has been so far from us ... and it's new to us."

He explained that because democracy is so new to Iraq, there are a lot of problems that must be addressed in order to make progress.

"Democracy is like a child, like an infant in Iraq – it needs care and attention," Abu Sar said. "But I believe in a moment there will be university teachers certified on the subject."

On her third tour in Iraq, Capt. Jeanne Hull, FSEC, said this time has been the most interesting as she watches Iraq move into a new time and a new system. She said she's never seen a place where politics are so complicated.

Hull referred to a conversation she had with Mithal al-Alusi, a member of the Iraq council of representatives.

"He said the democracy baby in Iraq is very strong... Iraq's people demand democracy," she quoted. She talked with him about the voting process – which is the only way to root out the corruption many Iraqis say exist in the political realm.

"If we tried to teach you the American way of democracy, it would fail," Hull said. "Just as one example: we use mass media to communicate to the population when we tell them to vote. But Iraq has something we don't have in America that can be very helpful: everybody knows each other through tribe and family and you can pass messages through the people that you know and that's how you get your voice.

"We can't do that in America," Hull continued. "So perhaps one way to tell people to get involved is to use the tribe, the clan, the family, the neighborhood to explain to them what the problems are and to tell them that they need to change them by voting,"

Dr. Amer Hassan Fayadh, professor of political science, said it is difficult to talk democracy to a people who don't understand its meaning. He said although there are educated people in Iraq, the political process is flawed and that is a roadblock to achieving democracy.

"Democracy needs elements to help [it] in the first place," Fayadh said. "What we request is to build a powerful state that stands with individual not against them. Elections are important [but] there were mistakes in [the process], now there are mistakes in it and there will be mistakes in it. These mistakes are very normal."

The professor said all countries in the world have been through this kind of difficult transitional period. He is looking forward to working with coalition forces to find a solution.

One issue addressed in the meeting was the fact none of the political leaders in Iraq were elected.

"This is one of the major problems [in] building a democracy," said Dr. Hafedh A. Homadi, Baghdad University dean of political science. "If a leader hasn't been elected through a democratic process, how can he practice democracy? Even if he did claim democracy, would people believe him?"

Homadi said the correct start would be for the leaders of the political parties to be elected rather than gaining the position through some other means.

"I think the most important thing is that we agree on a lot of these issues, [but] we still disagree and have to come to some agreement on how we go about fixing it," said Capt. Adam Scher, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) political advisor. "Just as you say the current political process has leaders and systems that are anti-democratic – and that means that they can't practice democracy – we are saying that if [coalition forces] remove those leaders and put in new leaders, that would be equally anti-democratic and would not be a good idea."

Scher solicited the groups' suggestions on how to help the Iraqi people to understand the democratic process and inspire them as a whole to take part.

The conversation went on for hours. While there was no final resolution, each side walked away with more understanding and possibly a different perspective.

"I believe the world will be students of Iraq's walk into democracy and the great progress made," said Col. Victor Lofton, FSEC elections division chief.