‘A democracy of puppets’

Taken from a March 3 audio commentary. Go to www.millions4mumia.org for updates and mobilizations on Abu-Jamal’s case.

No matter which way the Iraqi elections turn out, the media bleats about "democracy's" triumph. Notwithstanding, the lives of average Iraqis will remain an intolerable brew of nastiness and ugliness.

The electricity remains a one-hour-on, 12-hours-off affair.

Water is often undrinkable.

According to a recent BBC report, medical officials now counsel childbearing-age women in Fallujah to not give birth, for fear of horrific birth defects.

That's because Fallujah's water was poisoned by the U.S. use of depleted uranium in shells when they virtually leveled the place several years ago.

Over a million Iraqi refugees have spent seven years in neighboring countries, unable or unwilling to return home.

Iraqis call the U.S. invasion and occupation "al-suqut" (the collapse). It is a time of destruction, desolation, humiliation and loss.

Will an American-style election change this? Hardly.

Who doubts that only U.S. approved puppets will be allowed to run the joint? How can a nation that violated the democratic rights of the American people in order to wage a war built on lies, build a democracy in another country?

It can have elections -- but democracy? I don't think so.