The Jan. 30 elections in Iraq marked a historic step toward securing a free and democratic Iraq, but Iraqis went to the polls and elected an assembly with strong religious ties.
With the representatives being appointed and the future of Iraq being decided, one must consider the possibility that all our efforts to create a democracy in Iraq may have been in vain.
Approximately 70 percent of the seats went to the two major groups, the United Iraqi Alliance and a powerful Kurdish alliance, both of which have a strong religious foundation to their politics.
Many people from these groups believe that there is no other alternative to having the Koran as the law of the land in Iraq. And many Iraqis and Americans find this possible encroaching Islamic theocracy in Iraq to be very troubling.
Can a theocracy in Iraq still be democratic?
No.
Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most powerful Shiite cleric in Iraq, has said he supports candidates that want to create a new constitution that is based on the Koran.
Other prominent clerics in Iraq have called for candidates to make Islam the source of all legislation. With Shiites holding the most seats in the new 275-member national assembly, minority Sunnis, Iraq's previously privileged religious group under Saddam Hussein, and other minority groups fear that they will be targets for repression.
Is a democratic-theocracy a contradiction in terms?
Yes.
Every theocracy that has ever existed has led to the oppression or outright persecution of minority religious groups. When one dominant group sets the law for all others to follow it inevitably leads to the infringement of the basic human rights of the rest of the citizens. It overpowers or excludes them in the decision-making processes of the country.
For an example of how terrible a theocracy in Iraq might be we need to look to Iraq's neighbor, Iran.
Iran has the one of the worst human rights abuse records in the region and the world. Iran is known for its brutal repression of dissent, women's rights and Kurds, as well as supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah.
We can't let Iraq become another brutally oppressive theocracy like Iran.
What can we do to prevent Iraq from becoming an oppressive theocracy like Iran?
Well, the struggle for a free and democratic Iraq isn't over yet.
We have to wait and see which direction this new government will take before anything can be known for sure.
The best thing we can do now is hope for the best and let the Iraqis make their own decisions.
But if the overwhelming dominance of representatives from religion-based political parties in the new national assembly takes Iraq toward theocracy, then we should step in, as delicately as possible, and help guide the country in a better, more democratic direction.
Even if stepping in may spur more criticism of our efforts, we still can't let all our efforts to improve Iraq be in vain.
Ryan is a third-year English student. Contact him at donohurp@email.uc.edu.
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