Iraq's Constitution Appears Headed Toward Passage Despite Strong Opposition From Sunni Arabs

ap ^ | 10/16/2005 | Sameer Yacoub (ap writer) with Salah Nasrawi in Cairo Egypt

[goldstategop]

People vote for their own interests. In a free society people have different views. This is a good thing, a healthy thing. An Iraq in which there's robust partisanship and plenty of debate is a healthy society. I'd be concerned if there was none. So unlike the MSM, the prospect of people taking sides doesn't bother me at all in the least - its exactly how things out to play out.

(Denny Crane: "I like nature. Don't talk to me about the environment".)

[elhombrelibre]

Was that when Iraqi Shia fought Persian Shia in the crazy war that Saddam started with the Iranians after Carter let the Ayatollahs overthrow the Shah and when the Ayatollahs threatened to take over Iraq in a counterattack? I think I remember what you are alluding to. The Sunnis and Shia of Iraq fought the Persian Shia, right?

[newzjunkey]

The apparent victory was muted, though, by the prospect that the result might divide the country further.

One of the DNC talking points pimped on today's Sunday shows? I'm shocked! SHOCKED!

[Gator61]

Iranian students had taken over our embassy and was holding hostages. All you heard was that the Shiites were the bad branch of Islam and the Sunnis were the good moderate branch.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Does anyone remember back in 1979 when the Sunnis were the "good" Muslims and the Shiites were the evil Muslims?

I don't think that has changed one bit and we will have to deal with it one day.

Remember when the Russians were our friends and we fought the Germans and Japanese? Or Italy was our friend in WWI and our foe in WWII? Or France was .... OK forget that one ....

[Decepticon]

People vote for their own interests. In a free society people have different views. This is a good thing, a healthy thing. An Iraq in which there's robust partisanship and plenty of debate is a healthy society. I'd be concerned if there was none. So unlike the MSM, the prospect of people taking sides doesn't bother me at all in the least - its exactly how things out to play out.

Extremely well said, now if we can just get you on as an anchor on a major MSM nightly news show........

[soloNYer]

Right, to our lefty press a divide is bad. We should all think the same...in the US we should think like Durbin or Hillary, in Iraq they should think like the Sunnis. For if all people don't agree, it will be settled by extreme violence and civil war. Kind of a pessimistic view of democracy...I guess the only answer is hypnotism.

[JCEccles]

The apparent victory was muted, though, by the prospect that the result might divide the country further.

The everpresent doom-and-gloom spin.

Ignore the spin and simply read the numbers. The title to any article about these results could be:

Iraqis Spurn Terrorist Threats to Shout "Yes!" to New Constitution in Historic Vote Marked by High Voter Turn Out Including Sunnis at 66 Percent.

[Dilbert56]

I wonder how many Sunnis told their wackjob leaders they would vote against the referendum and then thought: "Let's get this over with" and voted YES.

[FreePaul]

You're giving the AP reporter the benefit of the doubt. I wonder if there is such a person as alleged by the reporter.

[JustaCowgirl]

I wonder how many Sunnis told their wackjob leaders they would vote against the referendum and then thought: "Let's get this over with" and voted YES.

More than a few, I would guess.

[JustaCowgirl]

You're giving the AP reporter the benefit of the doubt. I wonder if there is such a person as alleged by the reporter.

It's a pretty good bet that there isn't such a person. Or he's the reporter's brother-in-law or something.

[Decepticon]

Remember when the Russians were our friends and we fought the Germans and Japanese? Or Italy was our friend in WWI and our foe in WWII? Or France was .... OK forget that one ...

Bump To The Top!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[SevenMinusOne]

The AP reporter must have looked long and hard for this one guy.

Very true - Or just as likely, just made the guy up! This happens with the MSM reporting much more then most suspect. They simply make up "critics" and quote them in their "news" stories.

The MSM is absolutely pathetic - They hate the success they see in the GWOT -

[WarEagle]

The lines of Sunnis at the polls in the key electoral battleground states..

These people just cannot seem to understand or do enough research to appear to understand. They just recycle the same old phrases and attitudes. I bet if we were to discover a civilization on another planet the MSM would describe their political process in these terms, fitting or not.

Could we please get some intelligence into reporting?

[Moonman62]

According to a vote count from 260 of Ninevah province's 300 polling stations, about 300,000 people voted for the constitution and 80,000 against,

In other words, the strong Sunni opposition doesn't exist, unless you only count the terrorists which is what the AP seems to want to do.

[bert]

The crAP continues. The antiAmericans who run the AP and propagandize the war can't stand to be wrong. They paint the bleakest position using the flimsy facts to promote a lost cause.

Show me an AP staffer and I'll show you a miserable American.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

BAGHDAD — Iraqi citizens young and old display their ink-dipped fingers after the adults cast their ballots during the Constitutional Referendum Oct. 15 near Khadamiyah. (Photo by 2nd Lt. Christopher McComb, 1st Battalion, 71st Cavalry Regiment)

A group of Iraqi men and a Iraqi army soldier with some local kids show their support for the new referendum after voting at a nearby poll station in Samarra Iraq, Oct 15, 2005, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway)

BAGHDAD — An Iraqi man is all smiles as he shows his purple finger to his son moments after voting in the Oct. 15 Constitutional Referendum in the Tissa Nissan district of east Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Russ Goemaere, 2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO)

BAGHDAD – An Iraqi couple proudly display their purple fingers in the Karradah district of southern Baghdad Oct. 15. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Kobi, 4th Brigade Combat Team PAO)

[soloNYer]

By the way, I couldn't wait to read my Sunday morning edition of the Albany Times Union to see what they'd say about the Iraq vote. The paper is completely agenda driven, with almost every story designed to help Democrats..including letting inmates vote, disenfranchisement of college liberals by the lack of same day voter registration, global warming, lapping up Hillary quotes etc.

What was front page news today? No, not the Iraq vote. It was how Halliburton's subcontractors are under paying workers in Iraq. Halliburton, Halliburton, Halliburton.