Al-Sadr has on occasion stated that he wishes to create an "Islamic democracy".

"The King sees Islamic democracy as the future," a senior Western diplomat said.

Islamic democracy has no track record, since it barely exists as yet.

The ideology of Khatami and the movement is based on Islamic democracy.

All this would seem to bode ill for the prospects of an Islamic democracy.

Deciding whether to trust in Islamic democracy is a bit of a gamble, he admits.

And it is, as often cited, an example of so-called Islamic democracy in action.

In Iran's sham "Islamic democracy," only the mullahs decide who can run.

In practical terms, then, Iraq's Islamic democracy is an experiment.

Like the Afghan constitution, Islamic democracy has no chance if the West does not help create the economic prosperity and social stability for its success.