Say What?

The Arab world has never had a democracy. But while its simplest form, a direct election, is fairly easy to understand, the Bush administration would like the first democratic election in Iraq to take the more complicated form of a regional caucus.

The word doesn't even exist in Arabic.

In the US, I would guess that not many Americans know how a caucus works either. Several websites on the upcoming election include explainers.

So it is understandable why Iraqis don't like Bush's election plan. The opposition of one powerful Shiite leader led to the protests of 20,000 Iraqis. While the president of the Iraqi Governing Council has expressed reserved support for regional causes, he's also admitted that, "The best way to elect legislative bodies is through direct and general elections if there is enough time to conduct these elections."

Why is there no time?

Despite the excuses of a lack of election law or voting rules, the real reason boils down to the American presidential election. Bush wants the transfer over and done with before the general election starts so he can point to some tangible accomplishment and not be as weighed down by the troubles in Iraq. Although a direct election would probably garner more Iraqi support and confirm for them that things have really changed, it would delay an added item on Bush's to-do list.