I wish to take the time to mourn the end of what might have been an interesting experiment in self-government. Now, on the weak, undefended, morally reprehensible and irrational basis of democracy, Iraqis will now have to deal with a majority rule government. I had the slimmest of hopes that the people over there would reject aggression, reject moral compromise, and reject violence. Instead, they have embraced it in the form of the state.

The degree of government imposed on them will likely be less than during the era of Saddam, but that doesn't justify it. When I see Iraqis happily going to the polls to vote for who will rule them, I see people happily imposing their will by passive means on others. How very, very sad.