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The Coalition Authority Explains Democracy to the Iraqi People

We'll give you back the country soon. Your leaders at the end of June Will be there democratically. We'll let you know soon who they'll be.

Calvin Trillin

May 20, 2004

We’ll give you back the country soon. Your leaders at the end of June Will be there democratically. We’ll let you know soon who they’ll be.

Democracy is on the way. We smashed this place to free it. Democracy is on the way. You’ll know it when you see it.

Your press is free forever, but The papers we were forced to shut Should know, when all is said and done, It’s free, though not for everyone.

Democracy is on the way. We smashed this place to free it. Democracy is on the way. You’ll know it when you see it.

A person’s treatment post arrest Can be democracy’s true test– Though, sometimes, soldiers are unkind, Because… that is… oh, never mind.

Democracy is on the way. We smashed this place to free it. Democracy is on the way. You’ll know it when you see it.

Calvin TrillinCalvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”


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