2008 Woodie Awards
Staff Editorial: Iraq vote a step in the right direction
Communique Editorial Board
Issue date: 10/27/05 Section: Opinion
It's not easy to build a democracy from scratch. It took the United States six years of war and another eight years of political chaos after that to get a system in place - and it's still a work in progress.
For Iraqis to go from totalitarianism to casting votes for a new constitution in under three years is nothing short of an amazing accomplishment. Vote counts from Iraqi provinces are slowly trickling in because of the care being taken by counters, especially in hotly contested provinces, and signs point to the constitution passing the test.
Yet Iraqi democracy treads a dangerous path these days, fraught with increasingly sophisticated insurgent attacks, bitter political division and the looming trial of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
The insurgency is showing no sign of letting down as the death toll continues to rise on all sides. The growing number of political assassinations is bogging down the government as well as causing a post-Saddam exodus of Iraqis again fearing for their lives. Also, a grim milestone, the 2,000th U.S. casualty serves as a reminder that the work of suppressing terrorists and securing Iraq for Iraqis is a long way from finished.
Part of that work included a beefed-up U.S. military presence for the constitutional referendum on Oct. 15. Although insurgents created minor disruptions, the vote passed without the accompanying carnage that many predicted. An estimated 10 million people, about 61 percent of registered voters, cast their ballots but accusations of ballot box stuffing are surfacing.
The voters also lined up largely in ethnic blocks, with northern Kurds and southern Shiites voting in favor of the constitution while central Sunnis voted largely against. When the constitution passes a large portion of the population will feel disenfranchised, possibly adding to dissent and the resistance.
Meanwhile, the trial of Saddam Hussein is showing gaps in the legitimacy of the Iraqi court system. The murder of attorney Sadadoun Janabi, counsel for one of Saddam's associates, has prompted calls of a boycott of the trial by the Iraqi Bar Association. Saddam's lawyers are fueling the debate on whether the Iraqi war crimes tribunal has the right to hear the case, arguing it has no such right under the Geneva Convention because it was set up by an occupying country.
Iraq has a great opportunity to move forward in the coming months but it will require strong leadership, something Iraqis have sorely lacked. When the United States underwent its own trial by fire, men such as Gen. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin delivered America through uncertain times. For an Iraqi democracy to succeed post-election, someone must answer the call during these trying times.
The recent election was a step in the right direction on the long road to prosperity for Iraqis. Without steady guidance from able leaders, however, the young democracy could lose its way.
For Iraqis to go from totalitarianism to casting votes for a new constitution in under three years is nothing short of an amazing accomplishment. Vote counts from Iraqi provinces are slowly trickling in because of the care being taken by counters, especially in hotly contested provinces, and signs point to the constitution passing the test.
Yet Iraqi democracy treads a dangerous path these days, fraught with increasingly sophisticated insurgent attacks, bitter political division and the looming trial of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
The insurgency is showing no sign of letting down as the death toll continues to rise on all sides. The growing number of political assassinations is bogging down the government as well as causing a post-Saddam exodus of Iraqis again fearing for their lives. Also, a grim milestone, the 2,000th U.S. casualty serves as a reminder that the work of suppressing terrorists and securing Iraq for Iraqis is a long way from finished.
Part of that work included a beefed-up U.S. military presence for the constitutional referendum on Oct. 15. Although insurgents created minor disruptions, the vote passed without the accompanying carnage that many predicted. An estimated 10 million people, about 61 percent of registered voters, cast their ballots but accusations of ballot box stuffing are surfacing.
The voters also lined up largely in ethnic blocks, with northern Kurds and southern Shiites voting in favor of the constitution while central Sunnis voted largely against. When the constitution passes a large portion of the population will feel disenfranchised, possibly adding to dissent and the resistance.
Meanwhile, the trial of Saddam Hussein is showing gaps in the legitimacy of the Iraqi court system. The murder of attorney Sadadoun Janabi, counsel for one of Saddam's associates, has prompted calls of a boycott of the trial by the Iraqi Bar Association. Saddam's lawyers are fueling the debate on whether the Iraqi war crimes tribunal has the right to hear the case, arguing it has no such right under the Geneva Convention because it was set up by an occupying country.
Iraq has a great opportunity to move forward in the coming months but it will require strong leadership, something Iraqis have sorely lacked. When the United States underwent its own trial by fire, men such as Gen. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin delivered America through uncertain times. For an Iraqi democracy to succeed post-election, someone must answer the call during these trying times.
The recent election was a step in the right direction on the long road to prosperity for Iraqis. Without steady guidance from able leaders, however, the young democracy could lose its way.