A recent poll, in of all places Iraq, showed some very interesting stats.

75% of those responding stated that democracy had a positive meaning, while 9% stated that it had a negative meeting, and 60% of respondents said that democracy is "preferable to any other system of government." . . .

One wonders what the percentage of Americn students, who grew up with that form of government would answer the same.  I wager it is less than 75%

55% of respondents somewhat or strongly opposed the idea of army intervention into politics. . . .

That one may be a toss up between Iraqis and US students considering 33% of the US students think the press should be controlled by the government, but......

a large majority of respondents rejected the idea of women being barred from government. 68% of respondents rejected the idea of a secular state,

You have come a long way Baby!  Especially in a former dictatorship!

47-51% agreed that religious figures should be allowed to interfere with the workings of the state, perhaps indicating a nuanced understanding of the role of religion in government.

That one is interesting in that we are having our own debate of Seperation of Church and state here, but while we file lawsuits against nativity scenes, this question indicates about half the students think religion should play a more active role in government.  A dangerous concept that only time and intolerance will dispel.

ALl in all, tho, the students show a great deal of maturity and thought in their ideals, and hopefully as they mature more, it will only get better.

And this is just after 2 months of democracy.  Not a bad start for a country that was better off under Saddam than today.

And oh, I almost forgot.  Apparently not all the citizens are running and hiding from terrorists, or being one.  They are going to school and learning.  What a shocking revelation!