Reply #26: How much more freedom do they really have?

[gulliver]

OK. They can run outside and shout insults at Saddam Hussein. Wait, bad example, one of Saddam's former employees might not like it.

OK. They can talk about who to support in the coming election. Wait, bad example. There's no election coming, and now no one knows who to support anyway.

OK. They are free to practice their religion. Wait, bad example. They already had that.

OK. They are free to start a newspaper. Yeah, if they wanted to and had the money, they could start up some kind of newspaper. And it could publish anything they wanted to publish except for Al Jazeera type stuff and political stuff and...

Actually, I think Bremer is trying to take credit for giving the Iraqis something they already enjoyed 90% of anyway. And the 10% of freedom we've given them, freedom from Saddam, is dangerous as hell. Saddam being out of the picture (um, sort of) doesn't necessarily reduce the threat of political violence. So how much freedom should we take credit for giving them.

All of it? It's just like the U.S. there, I guess.