Apparently it depends on how you define progress. In Kirkuk bombs injured eight army officers and gunmen killed an army officer. Sunnis complain that issues on proposals to create autonomous regions and the status of the Baath party are being ignored. This is something al-Hassani says could provoke even more sectarian violence.

At the same time, the Christian population says things were "better under Saddam." An article in Newsday claims Iraq Christians have had to curtail social activities for fear of being attacked. During the reign of Saddam, almost no women in Basara covered her head. Today they all do under fear of punishment.

Christian nursery schools and sunday school classes have been closed for fear the school buses would be attacked. Acording to the article, the Christian population was very happy when the British army came to Basara. But a year after Saddam was overthrown, the Shiite militias revolted against the Brits. Christians who had been licensed to sell alcohol under Saddam were attacked and killed by the militants.

Have we brought freedom to Iraq? And someone please explain the progress that is being made? I am not sure just what it is we are creating in Iraq. I wish for the best, but certainly fear the worst. From the standpoint of individual freedom it appears we are failing miserably. If the goal is self-determination by majority rule, then it presently appears we are being sucessful in helping the majority Shiite sect create a theocratic government structure in their area and the Kurds create a Kurdish government in theirs. In that case, religious minorities and Sunnis will become an endangered species.

A Publius over two hundred years ago warned "beware of the tyranny of the majority." And someone warned that democracy doesn't work in a madhouse.

Publius