Religious Challenges to Constructing a Democratic Iraq

Religious Challenges to Constructing a Democratic Iraq

Table of Contents
Abstract 3
The challenge of establishing a democracy in Iraq 3
History of Iraq 3
History of Islam 4 Tenets of Islam 6
History of democracy 7 Christianity and democracy 8 Tenets of democracy 9
Islamic thought vs. the keystones of a democracy 10 Can democracy take hold in an Islamic Iraq? 10
Conclusion 11
References 13

Abstract Islam has been Iraq's dominant religion for centuries. The religion plays an important part in every aspect of Iraq's society, to include its government. A democracy gives freedom to a nation's people, embracing the many characteristics of Christianity. It can be argued that Islam is, and will continue to be a cornerstone of any government in Iraq. Likewise, Christianity will be a cornerstone of many democratic countries. The challenge is to explore the relationship of a democracy in Iraq, and whether the relationship will work considering the prevalent Islam religion. The Challenge of Establishing a Democracy in Iraq It has been seven years since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime. One clear objective since the start of the war was to instill a government where all citizens could enjoy the same freedoms of other democratic countries. However, instilling democracy in a Muslim society can be huge hurdle to overcome. The representative features of a democratic government may not necessarily align with the religious, norms of a Muslim society. To gain an understanding of the basis of a democracy in Iraq, the history and predominant religion must be carefully dissected. The history and associated religion, along with the tenets of democracy, must be carefully unraveled to draw a comparison between the two. Only then can one ascertain whether a democracy can thrive in Iraq. History of Iraq Commonly known as the

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