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  • Short text contributed to The Nation magazine on 8 February 2003 for a special article on Iraq.

    Preemptive Democracy is a 3 step plan to get rid of Saddam without preemptive war. First step is immediately create an independent and internationally credible Transitional Democratic Iraqi Government. To do so, hold a constitutional convention of all Iraqi opposition groups plus representatives of the Iraqi diaspora, write a provisional constitution and elect a transitional government. To ensure credibility and global interest, the convention invites all media and is broadcast live by Al-Jazeera, CNN, BBC... The second step is using this government to oust Saddam. The final step is to hold free and fair elections in Iraq to a final constitutional convention once the new government takes over. This plan maximizes the chances Saddam will fall without war. If there is any intervention, it makes it a normal war instead of a preemptive war. And it avoids completely a dangerous,costly and open-ended military occupation.