The United State's influence can be seen in Iraq's new government. Just as President Bush wanted, democracy is now being practiced in Iraq. Although this is a relatively important step in the reconstruction of the country, it brings up important, fundamental questions.

First of all, how do we know that what the United States practices is the best choice for other countries?

Living here, being a U.S. citizen or not, takes away from our sense of being impartial. By being in the United States, it becomes natural to say that democracy works and should be practiced by other countries.

Is this necessarily the case, though?

While the United States has been pressing the issue that what is practiced within our borders works, other countries, under different forms of government and economics, are functioning and thriving just fine.

Second, is the United States obliged to enforce its practices within other countries?

Over the last 100 years, the United States has started to act like a televangelist. While our political leaders preach our practices on a global scale, we send our military on missionary-like journeys into other countries to establish a little piece of the United States in those nations.

While we might see the new government forming in Iraq as a step in the right direction, we need to evaluate where, exactly, that direction is taking us. We must remember that there is no single right way to run a country.

Like religion, different forms of government were established for legitimate reasons.

But a government should be chosen by a country's people. They should have the right to decide what will and will not be beneficial for their culture and society.

With Iraq as our guinea pig, the practices of the United States will be tested. We will be able to see on a global stage just how effective democracy is.

Iraq is the ultimate test as to whether our governmental and economic influences are universal and whether or not they can be successful wherever they are implemented.

If this is the case, though, what will happen globally? While we watch our experiment develop in Iraq, will other struggling nations be watching as well?

Regardless, it is predictable to say there is no straight path to success. As Iraq's new government took office on Saturday, there were apparent problems among the secular factions. This is a blatant red flag signifying that just because a government declares it will practice democracy, doesn't mean it will be successful.

We must realize that just because something is established, practiced and functioning in the United States does not mean it is a universally successful idea.