US Warns Iraq: ‘Don’t Blow This Opportunity’

Clinton Tells Iraq to 'Act Like a Democracy'

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today warned Iraq not to “blow this opportunity” to become a unified nation, urging the existing unity government to “act like a democracy.”

Iraq’s democratic bonafides appear to be deteriorating rapidly, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordering the mass arrests of his political opponents and handing out frequent accusations of “terrorism.”

Ironically, the US loudly endorsed Maliki in his efforts to arrest his Vice President as a terrorist, saying that it was the result of a “free and fair investigation.”

It is indeed unlikely that Clinton really objects to Maliki’s tactics so much as his inefficiency in “acting like” a democrat, an effort which has not only failed to fool anyone but has also drawn him international scorn for his widespread use of torture and shocking number of executions.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.