There is no push for democracy. There is a push for oil. Elections and other such political maneuverings in a land occupied by foreign military force are window-dressing to cover over brutally simple primary motives...those being the securing of oil and other strategic interests in the region. There was never ANY true concern about democracy behind this war. Never. And there never will be.

Several elected democracies in various parts of the world have been crushed in the not so distant past by the same corporate elite that has delivered us the Iraq war.

It's never about democracy. Absolutely never. It's about compliance with corporate objectives. If that can be done through a mechanism of democracy, fine...they'll do it that way. If not, it will be done through assassination, subversion, coups, foreign-trained and equipped paramilitary forces (as in Central America), and full-scale invasions. Any way that works.

That's the name of the game. The USA is playing for keeps...with a nervous eye on China. China is now becoming the world's foremost economic power...and will need the oil. The USA intends to secure that oil.

These maneuverings which could well result in a Third World War somewhere down the line...if the Chinese decide to arm themselves with enough high tech weapons to fight such a war. They have the strength, the expertise, and the manpower. If the USA puts them in too tight a spot as regards oil, then the Chinese may decide to fight...or they may be forced to.

In such a war, where would Russia stand? Hard to say at this point.

Iraq is just one small playing card in a very, very big game. Afghanistan is another. Iran is another. Syria is another. So too, Saudi Arabia. God help them all (and the rest of us).