Building Democracy in Iraq

At the meeting, the soldiers announced that they were going to supervise elections for a local council and asked people to put themselves forward as candidates. The council members would not be paid, they were told, but they would receive the assistance of the US military in making local improvements … Five local councils members were selected from a slate of 11. Majid, the highest vote getter, was made president … A few days later the Americans came to Majid’s house with an assignment. They wanted him and the council to do a report about the neighborhood’s problems and suggest solutions. They also wanted him to do an inventory of the weapons people kept in their homes … With a great sense of accomplishment, the council finished its report on June 11, a mere 9 days after they were elected. When they went to turn in the report, however, they were told that the council had been disbanded and they should go home.