By Staff
Two hundred twenty-nine years ago, in the colonial city of Philadelphia, Penn., a group of patriots and opponents of the English monarchy – indeed, a group of founding fathers – came together to assert that the American colonies were declaring their independence from King George III and forming a new, united nation.
One year ago, the men and women of Iraq regained national sovereignty after nearly three decades of oppression and terror at the hands of one of the 20th century's most ruthless dictators.
Surprisingly, the confidence that either of these endeavors – separated by two centuries and thousands of miles – would succeed was very low. Here in this country, few believed that a new nation could be formed out of thirteen individual colonies which each had their own agenda. Likewise, many here in this country and around the world were pessimistic that the people of Iraq could move from a dictatorial style of government, establish independence, draft a constitution, and form a new government