2008 Woodie Awards
Elections of a Colonial Power
Beth Prosnitz
Issue date: 2/3/05 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The Iraqi elections that occurred on January 30, 2005, marked a pivotal moment for Iraq and the United States alike: Iraq officially succumbed to thriving American colonialism, and the United States could revel in its egotism.
The hawkish persistence of the United States to democratize Iraq signifies the emergence of a new domain of colonialism. America is now exerting its colonial powers over the Middle East just as Britain had over Asia and Africa. The apparent success of the election equates the success of Western ignorance and imperialism. Contact with the West, in some aspects, can benefit other nations, but attempting to transplant American cultural and political values in Iraq can only lead to more destruction.
A major concern about the safe execution of the election was the risk of violent outbursts and attacks on voters. The administration is pleased that, out of the 60 percent of registered voters who voted, less than 40 citizens were killed Sunday. This apparent success only indicates the success of the United States in manipulating the Iraqi political system into one that the United States can monitor and dominate whenever necessary.
Despite the lack of violence, Iraq remains in a volatile state. According to the New York Times "[h]alf a dozen candidates have been assassinated," thus far. The likelihood of more assassinations following the elections cannot be ignored. The constant exchange between power and violence has been unexpectedly tense over the past 22 months, and the minimal violence on the day of elections cannot mask the instability of Iraq since the invasion.
Members of the administration have asserted that the elections will quell unrest and transform Iraq into a liberated nation that can function in a world dominated by the West. The war, and subsequently the election, may liberate Iraq from Baathist rule, but it subjects it to the regime of Western ideology.
John Negroponte, the current United States ambassador to Iraq, recently responded to queries about the election in Iraq. His responses, which are posted on the official White House website, are saturated with the superior, colonial mentality.
The hawkish persistence of the United States to democratize Iraq signifies the emergence of a new domain of colonialism. America is now exerting its colonial powers over the Middle East just as Britain had over Asia and Africa. The apparent success of the election equates the success of Western ignorance and imperialism. Contact with the West, in some aspects, can benefit other nations, but attempting to transplant American cultural and political values in Iraq can only lead to more destruction.
A major concern about the safe execution of the election was the risk of violent outbursts and attacks on voters. The administration is pleased that, out of the 60 percent of registered voters who voted, less than 40 citizens were killed Sunday. This apparent success only indicates the success of the United States in manipulating the Iraqi political system into one that the United States can monitor and dominate whenever necessary.
Despite the lack of violence, Iraq remains in a volatile state. According to the New York Times "[h]alf a dozen candidates have been assassinated," thus far. The likelihood of more assassinations following the elections cannot be ignored. The constant exchange between power and violence has been unexpectedly tense over the past 22 months, and the minimal violence on the day of elections cannot mask the instability of Iraq since the invasion.
Members of the administration have asserted that the elections will quell unrest and transform Iraq into a liberated nation that can function in a world dominated by the West. The war, and subsequently the election, may liberate Iraq from Baathist rule, but it subjects it to the regime of Western ideology.
John Negroponte, the current United States ambassador to Iraq, recently responded to queries about the election in Iraq. His responses, which are posted on the official White House website, are saturated with the superior, colonial mentality.