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| Iraq |
| Shawcross in al-Gaurdian: Democratic dawn in Iraq |
| 2009-02-04 |
| The peaceful polling was remarkable and so were the results. All the Islamic parties lost ground, especially that associated with the so-called "Shia firebrand", Moqtada al-Sadr, whose share of the vote went down from 11% to 3%. The principal Sunni Islamic party, the Islamic Party of Iraq, was wiped out. The only Islamic party to gain ground was the Dawa party of the Shia prime minister Nouri al-Maliki - and even that party dropped the word Islamic from its name. The power of Maliki, who has emerged a stronger leader than expected, is further enhanced by these elections. Now no Islamic parties will be able to control any provinces on their own. The election is thus a big defeat for Iran which had hoped that Shia religious parties would control the south and enable Iran to turn them into a mini Shia republic. Instead, a new generation of Iraqi politicians is coming forward. Many of them are young and secular. They have lived always in Iraq, not in exile; they are Iraqis with local roots first and foremost - they are not pan-Arabs or pan-Islamists. Nor do they have connections to the US. But in the last two years the "surge" of US troops under General David Petraeus appears to have destroyed much of the terrorists' infrastructure and support. Now, as US troops begin their phased withdrawal, the new American-trained Iraqi army is defending the country against Islamist violence. There will be further setbacks. But who knows, Iraq may yet even become a model for democratic change in other Arab countries. If so, who deserves some credit? The much maligned President Bush. And Tony Blair. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #2 The Iraqis were well educated under Saddam and of course VERY secular. Those two factors play heavily on the future success of Iraq. I think we might have a winner here. Bush set them free and will always be a hero to them. Suck on that Harry Reid |
| Posted by: James Carville 2009-02-04 20:27 |
| #1 A new generation of politicians emerging after only two years of practicing democracy? And they're secular instead of religious? The Iraqis are climbing an impressively steep learning curve. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-02-04 17:35 |