Iraqracy

Iraqi democracy – a political system that is not yet wholly democratic, but in which political leaders cannot ignore the electorate.

Writing for The Times’s At War blog, John Leland noted:

The new year began with a neologism from General Petraeus. Asked what could be done about corruption in Iraq’s government, the general floated a term he has used at least once before.

“Democracy, even Iraqracy, if you will, the Iraqi form of democracy, first of all is still quite unique in the region, but has some very positive benefits,” he said. “The most important is that of course the leaders of the country have to face the electorate.”

The coinage – “Iraqracy” – marks a rhetorical step back from unqualified democracy, perhaps, and from American hopes of establishing a viral democratic beachhead in the Middle East. But it still represents hope against the government corruption and ineffectiveness that plague the country.

See also: At War: New Words From a Decade of War and Elsewhere: America’s Linguistic Legacy in Iraq