Democracy in Iraq...? Forget it...!

Democracy In Iraq Not A Priority in U.S. Budget

While President Bush vows to transform Iraq into a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, his administration has been scaling back funding for the main organizations trying to carry out his vision by building democratic institutions such as political parties and civil society groups.

The administration has included limited new money for traditional democracy promotion in budget requests to Congress. Some organizations face funding cutoffs this month, while others struggle to stretch resources through the summer. The shortfall threatens projects that teach Iraqis how to create and sustain political parties, think tanks, human rights groups, independent media outlets, trade unions and other elements of democratic society.

The shift in funding priorities comes as security costs are eating up an enormous share of U.S. funds for Iraq and the administration has already ratcheted back ambitions for reconstructing the country's battered infrastructure.

'scuse me...! 'SCUSE ME...! i read that wapo front page headline and nearly fell out of my chair... we've been lied to all along about iraq, we've heard one justification after another for an illegal war, had the u.s. mission to export democracy around the world shoved down our throats, and now THIS...? where in god's name does it all end...?

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