Islam and Democracy

In the past when the word democracy was mentioned, the words liberal or secular would always accompany and precede it. Today, however it is a given that democracy will be secular. This taking for granted of the two terms as going hand in hand is what has befuddled the American Administration when the Iraqi people voted for Islamic parties in elections last year.
Recall the banners waved by Iraqi's "No to America, No to Saddam, Yes to Islam." This insensitivity towards Muslim feelings and disregard of a governing system which is based on the core values of Islam is a destructive path embarked upon by United States foreign policy and military adventures. According to the American administration, Muslims must either accept and become enlightened by western secular and liberal values and by extension be labeled progressive or reject such notions and become "fundamentalists" enemy states by default.