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| Iraq |
| Iraq Constitution Made Bitch-Free for Sunnis |
| 2005-10-03 |
| Iraq's Shiite and Kurdish leaders quietly adopted new rules over the weekend that will make it virtually impossible for the constitution to fail in the upcoming national referendum, prompting Sunni Arabs and a range of independent political figures to complain that the vote was being fixed. Some Sunni leaders who have been organizing a campaign to vote down the document said today that they might now boycott the Oct. 15 referendum, because the rule change made their efforts futile. Other political leaders also reacted angrily, saying the change would seriously damage the vote's credibility in Iraq and abroad. Under the new rules, the constitution will fail only if two-thirds of all registered voters - rather than two-thirds of all those actually casting ballots - reject it in at least 3 of Iraq's 18 provinces. The change, adopted during an unannounced vote in Parliament on Sunday afternoon, effectively raises the bar for those who oppose the constitution. Given that fewer than 60 percent of registered Iraqis voted in the January elections, the chances that two-thirds would both show up at the polls and vote against the document in three provinces would appear to be close to nil. |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #3 I wonder what the real Sunni vote will reflect come the elections. That is, most of their "leaders" are self-appointed. I suspect that when their parlimentary votes are counted, there will be several surprises. First of all, I bet the secularists will whup the religious parties. Of the secularists, there will probably be a big showing among the socialists--Baathism without the Baathists. They will use a platform of liberal secularism that will be very attractive to many Sunnis. Things that Sunnis will want will be redistribution of Iraq's wealth, since they are in a poorer region; secularism as a defense against the Shiites; that the bureaucracy be merit-based, so Sunnis can move up in it; and strict nationalism for the military and the police. However, given their track record for shooting themselves in the foot... |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-10-03 23:20 |
| #2 dumb move I think I sereously doubt that the Sunni could have gotten up enough numbers to challenge the Constitution and the Sunni leaders seeing they must try would have been at odds with the Radicals. Now the regular sunni wont be able to vote without openly putting his life on the line as a sell out. Before he could at least said he was going to stop the constitution then when he got in the booth he would have been able to participate. Either way this dont look well towards "free democracy". I dont really think a failed constitution would have been so bad. On the other hand our new allies in this thing are the Kurds and the Shia's the Sunni's are going to be blood enemies for a long time. |
| Posted by: C-Low 2005-10-03 22:52 |
| #1 Nice move. I guess the point is that the only way it can be defeated, is for it to be soundly defeated democratically. Don't vote? You don't count. Boycott ... oh please do! |
| Posted by: Beau 2005-10-03 21:39 |