A new deal reached yesterday will make the new Iraqi constitution temporary if it is approved by Iraqi voters in the Oct 16 referendum.
CNN and BBC have some details on the agreement.
The new deal is currently being presented to the Iraqi Parliament for approval but assuming it passes, it will mean that at least one major Sunni group, the Iraqi Islamic Party, will urge its’ followers to vote in the referendum and support the constitution. Unfortunately the 2 much larger parties, the Association of Muslim Scholars, and the Iraqi National Dialogue Council have made no such change in their plans and it is widely expected that their members will still boycott the election.
As I said above, the new deal would make the current constitution only temporary… then, after the General Election the newly elected government would strike another committee to review any parts of the constitution that were still unsatisfactory to some parties, propose changes, and then submit the constitution to again be approved by national referendum 6 months after the General Election.
I’m not thrilled with the prospect of yet more wrangling… and I think Iraqis might be tired of it as well… but if this means that more Sunnis will participate in and support the constitutional and election process, then I have to be for it.
In the end, what matters is not the document itself, but rather the process of inclusion and reconciliation between parties. This might be a first step in reconciling with the Sunnis and that *has* to be viewed as a good thing.
In 1949 Germany’s post-WWII constitution was voted on, almost 5 years after the war ended. They then elected their own government I believe in 1950.
Of course, Iraq isn’t under the same conditions as Germany was but to expect that this complicated political process be accomplished in less than a couple of years is too ambitious (not that I’m accusing you of such unrealistic hopes). However, much is being accomplished step by step. When this process is finally complete, I believe that the face of the globe, not just the middle eats, will be changed and for the better.
This is not now, nor will it be in the days to come, a clean and simple process. I see the developments as two steps forward to one step back in each stage. They are much farther along than any naysayers probably want to admit. I ALWAYS look for the positive in any situation and don’t dwell on setbacks, obstacles or misfortune. I’ve applied this philosophical perspective in all areas of my own life and it works.
When you dwell on the negative, fear takes over and lethargy becomes indemnic and we either fall back or stay in place. I choose to reinforce the positive while recognizing the obstacles only as challanges to overcome. I think that’s what the Iraqi people by and large are doing at this phase in their history. Things are getting better (not according to the gloomy MSM but they thrive on failures) – why it’s even safe to drive the 8 miles from Baghdad to the airport now. That’s saying a lot.
And it looks like al-qaeda is now reduced to pinning their hopes for an Islamic state in Iraq on a repeat of the Viet Nam debacle. Ain’t happening despite the estimable Cindy Sheehan (who?). We won’t pull out. We see more and more success in the training of the Iraqi defenses who are now operating many units with only a few US troops embedded in them. The Iraqis are starting to hold territory in the towns they are cleaning out. My heart is bursting with pride for them. They are achieving so much and will do so much more in the next year or two.
Hallelujah! I’m pumped!!!
“why it’s even safe to drive the 8 miles from Baghdad to the airport now”
I haven’t heard this even from inside or outside the MSM? It would a very major development if true… do you have a link?
I heard it on Brit Hume’s program last night I think from Mort Kondracke. The panelists had all heard it from people who had recently been to Iraq. I tried to find something earlier today but all google gave me was the bad news dated 7 or 8 months ago and prior. So it’s just a rumor. I’m going to be looking for confirmation. If it’s really true, SOMEBODY in the media must be willing to give us the news.
Just one of those things that we don’t hear about, I suppose like the fact that after Israel built it’s wall their suicide bomber attacks reduced about 80% over the year before…the only media that tell that fact is the Israeli media.