Purple Fingers Unite!

Iraqis are voting! Despite the fear of being blown to bits by insurgents who want to disrupt the democratization of Iraq. What courage these people have to defy the bullies that are lurking amongst them. One woman walked three hours to vote YES to approve the constitution. I’m so proud, can you tell?

So if the constitution is approved (which in all likelihood it will be) then Iraq’s government will be decentralized. A system of federalism will be created in which three states are formed under one moderate government based in Baghdad. The Kurds in the north, the Shiites in the south, and the Sunnis who occupy the center of Iraq.

The initial, and, to a degree, continued objection to the constitution is over this idea of federalism. This is coming almost entirely from the Sunni side and is, in my opinion, completely understandable. You see, the oil rich areas of Iraq are located in the south and the north, which pretty much means no oil money for the Sunnis, who were the former recipients of such wealth under Saddam Hussein.

But at the last minute a few changes were made to the constitution—an equal distribution of oil money—and a decent portion of Sunnis decided to vote YES to approve the constitution. But the awesome part is that even a great number of those who don’t want the constitution to be approved still came out to vote NO. So, in other words, democracy is already at work in Iraq!

There were only twenty attacks on polling places compared to more than a hundred last time the Iraqis came out to vote. In some predominantly Sunni regions there was an 80 percent turnout. AWESOME! Even if they are voting NO. You know it just chaps the insurgents’ hides to witness the Iraqis ignoring their threats and participating in these “heathen” sponsored elections. Snicker, snicker.

Unless… You see, formalizing a constitution also means that the U.S. is one step closer to pulling its soldiers from Iraq. So, one could argue that the insurgents actually do want the constitution to be approved. That way once America has gone home they can turn the heat up on the new government. Nevertheless, the Iraqis are doing exactly what is needed to move forward. And for that, I’m proud.