Some of those cronies are believed to be supporting the insurgency. But they aren't alone in believing that the election is illegitimate. Many Iraqis do not support the violence but also do not believe true democracy can develop while U.S. troops are the dominant force in the country.
The fear of observers is that this latter community will not vote and then will drift closer to the insurgency, prompting the government to turn to ever more repressive measures to get control of the rebellion.
Those who believe that the election is a crucial part of Iraq's journey toward becoming a First World country include many in Iraq's political class, who sincerely believe that an elected government will have newfound influence both in the country and with neighbors.
"The elections are an important step toward a democratic system of government. This will be a legitimate mandate from the people.... This will be very different from the previous government," said Barham Salih, the interim deputy prime minister, referring to the U.S.-backed government now in power.
Salih is a fervent proponent of the democratic process, though he is also realistic about the hardships ahead. "Elections are not the magic solution, they are not a panacea for Iraq's problems, but the government will have to be responsive to this new parliament," he said, referring to the national assembly that Iraqis are electing today. The assembly will choose a presidency council and prime minister.
Almost since Hussein's fall in April 2003, Iraqis, especially in Baghdad, the capital, have said they want a leader who is strong enough to get a handle on the security situation. Because the insurgency is strong in the capital, it is a crucial point of reference for those who run the country.
Polls show that a declining percentage of Iraqis believe the country is headed in the right direction and that the main reason is the deteriorating security situation. A poll by the International Republican Institute taken in the first week of January found that for the first time in six months the percentage of Iraqis who believed the country was headed in the right direction had dipped below 50%.
The numbers are startlingly lower in Baghdad, home to 6 million Iraqis. Here, just 37% believe the country is headed in the right direction. And in Baghdad more than elsewhere, the sense of imminent violence is a constant reality, with car bombs, shootings, mortar shells, rockets and assassinations part of daily life. Here, there is a clamor for law and order above all else.
