Iraqi Religious Leaders Top Latest Election Poll

The U.S.-financed poll was conducted by the International Republican Institute, an organization dedicated to the development of democracy worldwide. The poll found that Iyad Allawi has lost ground in his battle to maintain power for the US/UN appointed government. The people of Iraq seem to favor candidates from religious parties--the two most prominent names from the poll being Abdel Aziz Hakim, the leader of an anti-Saddam Shiite group who once received backing from the US and now receives money from Iran, and Moqtada al Sadr, the leader of the most prominent Shiite rebel group in Iraq. 51% of those polled named Hakim as someone they would like to see on the future Iraqi Assembly, and his name received nearly 80% recognition. Iyad Allawi had the highest name recognition of any politician and received 49% on the question asking whom people would most like to see on the Assembly. Moqtada al Sadr received 47% in this category.

The Bush administration has said that it would prefer the future government remain non-religious largely because it will be responsible for establishing the new Iraqi constitution. Donald Rumsfeld said at one point last year that the US would not allow a theocratic government to take hold in Iraq, and GWBush has said recently that a theocratic government would "disappoint him" but that he would accept the decision of the Iraqi people.

I personally think this is just another example of the Bush administration's lack of understanding of the Middle East region. As important a role as religion allegedly plays in Mr. Bush's life, one would think he could understand the importance of faith to the Islamic world and better understand why religious leaders are given a more prominent role in society. If the US leadership could work WITH this tendency rather than AGAINST it, the perception of the US in the Islamic world could slowly change.

I hope that the Iraqi people get the type of government that they want rather than one imposed upon them by outside forces. When we think about the history of our own country, it was exactly this type of imposed government that caused the American Revolution so that we might determine our own government and make our own decisions. Should we not expect anything less from the people of Iraq? Should they not be given the same chance to decide their own future rather than having our nation impose its will yet again? Let us hope that the Iraqi people are able to become a truly sovereign nation.

Read more about this story in the Washington Post.