The American public is by and large understanding and supportive of President Bush's bid to democratize Iraq; from numerous anecdotes reported by Allied troops across the Near East country, we can see that the Iraqis are beginning to catch on, too.

But that isn't preventing the abjectly anti-American and purportedly Saddamite-infiltrated al Jazeera - or its ilk - from establishing a dominant presence in Iraq to shape the news heard by the growing number of satellite-television viewers. Troublemakers who hide under the guise of political and religious leadership are another threat to Iraqi confidence. Nor can we be assured that all Iraqis know the extent of American philanthropy or will continue to trust the occupation force if constantly bombarded with distorted information.

Claudia Winkler of the Weekly Standard chimes in and suggests fighting fire with fire:

It's possible that the next vote Iraqis cast will be for a constituent assembly. If so, now is the time for discussion--in print, on television, and especially on radio, which has the widest audience--of the core issues in making a democratic constitution. This should start with elementary concepts like majority rule and individual rights, the independence of judges, the dispersal of power, religious freedom, and the role of political parties in structuring choices. The discussants should include learned men and women who have reflected deeply on these matters, but also people with a practical role in society--school principals, merchants, newspaper editors, engineers, imams--and the man and woman in the street. Here are a few ideas:

The Baghdad Boys: This hour-a-day show would feature a couple of engaging Iraqi hosts with contrasting backgrounds and views, a sophisticated grasp of the issues at stake, and the ability to conduct respectful interviews with guests of many persuasions. (How about rushing a few promising young Iraqis over to do internships with C-SPAN's Brian Lamb?) The format would be flexible, but whether the hosts appeared together or singly, they would become familiar to the public at large. The goal would be to expose Iraqis to a cross-section of their countrymen, and to air many responsible points of view about how the principles of democracy should shape the future government.

Democracy in America: This show, airing several times a week, would interview historians, political scientists, journalists, politicians, and others about the American experience. It would expose Iraqis to the story of our founding, the Constitution that emerged from it, and aspects of its later evolution that seem pertinent to the Iraqi situation. This show might alternate with another

Democracy in the World: Using carefully selected case studies, this series of conversations with experts would show listeners how different peoples have fashioned democratic arrangements consonant with their cultures

New Iraq Roundtable: Get the infrastructure in place for call-in shows and let Iraqi men and women hear each other speak.

Don't stop there. As security becomes less of a concern in the country, why not physically bring in speakers - industrial, political and philosophical leaders - to hold inspirational seminars on the very aspects of civilized, free living to which Iraqis are unaccustomed. Watching, say, a Japanese businessman with experience back to the 1960s speak on television through Arabic subtitles is one thing. Hearing him in person, where Iraq's own economic and intellectual leaders could establish dialogue to better crystallize their understanding of a lesson, would dramatically enhance the ability of these men and women to conduct their own pedagogy.

Let the Iraqis hear the Poles and other slavic nationals; the Germans, the South Koreans. Such testimonials would regard challenges and failures as much as they would explain great victories against the unpredictable first years after liberation from tyranny. Facing doubt now and ridicule in years to come, Iraqis will need encouragement as they become the first Arab nation to experiment with democracy.