IRAQIS EMBRACE POLITICS

New York Post ^ | 3/09/04 | AMIR TAHERI

[kattracks]

March 9, 2004 -- ALTHOUGH no date has been set for polling day, Iraqi politics has already shifted into election campaign gear.

The most dramatic illustration of this so far came last Friday when five Shiite members of the Iraq Governing Council, the nation's interim authority, failed to show up at a ceremony organized to sign a constitutional draft.

[kattracks]

ping

[dyed_in_the_wool]

As long as they take over and keep it free and peaceful, let 'em play all the games they want.

[DeuceTraveler]

Ah politics as usual. I get a little disgusted with it, but I also get chills to think how it might be working out rather quickly.

[B-Bear]

I like this writer.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Some in the Western media saw the Baghdad boycott episode as "a major setback for U.S. plans in Iraq" and "a rupture between the Shiites and the United States." That was quickly proven wrong - the signing took place yesterday. What did these "analysts" miss?

The boycott's point was not to torpedo the draft constitution or to upset plans for the transfer of power to the Iraqis - nor even to make life more difficult for L. Paul Bremer, the American "pasha" who heads the interim Coalition authority.

....they are acting as any normal politician would do wherever decisions are not imposed by a despot or a dictatorial ruling clique. That is: The Iraqis are learning democracy on the job.

In the weeks and months ahead, Iraq is going to have a lot of politics with a great many cliff-hangers. Don't be surprised if Chalabi emerges as the leader of a movement to end "American occupation." It would also be no surprise if the next boycott is organized by the Kurds.

All in all, Iraqis seem to be developing a taste for politics, something they had been deprived of for almost half a century. And that, believe me, is a privilege that few other nations in the region enjoy today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you, Amir Taheri, the New York Post, kattracks, FReepers everywhere, US troops, allies.

God bless us, everyone.

Freedom, ping!

[tkathy]

They sound almost as bad as Democrats.

[OESY]

Some in the Western media saw the Baghdad boycott episode as "a major setback for U.S. plans in Iraq" and "a rupture between the Shiites and the United States." That was quickly proven wrong - the signing took place yesterday.

If so, surely the Western media would proclaim the signing on Monday "a major success for the U.S. in Iraq", wouldn't they?

OK, I know I'm hallucinating.

[windchime]

Interesting insight!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Allegra]

They're embracing capitalism in a big way, too. They dig it. :)

[blackie]

God Bless Us Everyone ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[GraniteStateConservative]

The five who stayed away are the most experienced politicians among the 13 Shiites who make up a majority of the Governing Council. Iraq observers agree that almost all the "boycott five" will secure seats in the transitional government to be set up June 30 when the occupation period officially ends:

* Iraqi National Council (INC) leader Ahmed Chalabi has had close ties to the United States for decades.

I didn't realize that Chalabi was one of the ones who stood us up. This guy's a royal jerk, and this is just the latest bit of evidence.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

We can only pray that this is true.

[bruin66]

The signing was acknowledged on the front page with the sub header something like "May help to get back on schedule".

[speekinout]

You know they're getting there when their political season gets as messy as ours. :-)