Americans disagree on whether we should have interved militarily in Iraq, and under what circumstances. But the idea of bringing democracy to Iraq has a wider appeal, even for some who feel our intervention is illegitimate.

As sincere and noble as our desire is to see the peoples of the world liberated from horrific and oppressive regimes, words like "freedom" and "democracy" are not precise and can mean different things. Even in this time of war, we must resist the temptation to give our leadership carte blanche, before we ask the question: what kind of democracy does President Bush want for Iraq?

What Geroge W. Bush means by democracy is clear if we pay close attention to what his administration has been doing here at home. It is certainly not "compassionate conservatism." Bush's tax cut has taken money directly out of programs that the old and sick, the very young and the very poor depend on for basics such as heat, food,medical care, and rent, and given it directly to the very richest 3% who are already rolling in luxury.

What is commonly known by political economy wonks and ordinary citizens alike is that Bush comes from a conservative school that considers democracy and free-market capitalism to be so intimately bound together that it is taken as a given that capitalism leads to democracy and vice versa.

In a country where the Supreme Court holds money to be a form of free speech, and grants corporations the legal status of a human being, democracy and capitalism appear inseparable. What could be more democratic than the free-market ideal of "one-dollar-equals-one-vote"? If this gives big money all the votes and a kind of "bill of rights" to do what it wants anytime anywhere, so what? It's a "free" country.

This is exactly the kind of democracy George Bush is quietly building here. While we are glued to our T.V. coverage of the war or out waving flags and protest signs, Bush and his big-investor buddies are having a field day turning our country over to big business. It is no accident that W. put the department of Energy, including top jobs of enforcing laws which protect the public and preserve resources for future generations, into the hands of ex-executives and lawyers of mining companies. And given their track record, I'm sure Bush is not surprised at the fast pace at which they are deregulating industry and defunding any law enforcement that protects us and our resources from toxic harm and devastation.

The democracy George W. envisions for Iraq is one of similar opportunities. We already see this if we peek under the blanket of war and anti-terrorism news coverage. Behind closed doors, Bush has met with his big-investment-class friends to divvy up not only Iraqi oil fields but also lucrative government contracts to rebuild Iraq.

The war has provided yet another avenue for corrupt corporate looting of scores of billions the government could spend on security, infrastructure, jobs, and social services at home, or humanitarian aid all over the world. But now the money to pay for this deficit spending will instead come from the pockets of our grandchildren to go directly to big business. This leaves the taxpayers with less money to put toward the needs of ordinary poeple such as our social security and medicare.

Getting more tax money for the richest of investors is just a side benefit. Bush's real agenda is to secure a big foothold for unregulated transnational capitalism in the Middle East. We are paying with our taxes, international good will and soldiers' lives for George Bush to turn Iraq into a free-market in which resources, decisionmaking, and regulatory control will be safely in the hands of the unscruplulously greedy big-investor class.

When Bush says freedom in Iraq, think freedom of corporations to buy influence, destroy resources, and flaunt the laws passed on behalf of the public. When he says democracy, think about decision-making behind closed doors by big business, not the little guy at the ballot box. Bush's real agenda is a jihaad to turn a planet that rightfully belongs to the public into a McWorld, here, there, and anywhere else the U.S. public lets him get away with it.

Linda Ross Anderson (via electronic mail, April 27, 2003)

Linda Ross Anderson is an Executive Board Officer of Amalgamated Transit Workers, Local 587, in Seattle. She has a B.A. from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington, where she received the Harry Bridges Award for best undergraduate paper on labor. Anderson authored a monthly column on international labor issues in the "ATU Local 587 News Review" from 1992 to 1996. She has been a part time transit operator since 1981.