JINSA Report #513 Getting It

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August 30, 2005

JINSA Report #513

Getting It

No political process and no political document are perfect (although
we're partial to the U.S. Constitution). But perfection isn't necessary.
The key to consensual government is that no election is the last one. No
political point is irrevocable, but the equality of citizens before the
law comes close. You can lose now, win later and be the loyal opposition
in the meantime. There are people out there of a different race, color,
ethnicity, religion, gender and/or political ideology who share your
view on an individual issue if not on all issues. And it is the essence
of consensual government to marshal your political forces, look for
allies and not burn bridges to create majorities that will change over
time and change over issues.

These are the truths of American political life and have to be true in
Iraq. And, it seems, the Iraqis are beginning to get it. The provisional
government wasn't supposed to last. The January election wasn't supposed
to happen. The Sunnis weren't supposed to join the constitution
committee. The constitution wasn't supposed to be drafted. The Kurds
were supposed to demand independence. The Shiites were supposed to
demand Sharia law.

Or something.

But here we are and there it is. Now the doom and gloom guys are saying
the referendum won't happen or the draft will be defeated. Not likely.
Sunni voters may refuse to ratify a document that isn't perfect from
their point of view, but they appear to have learned two crucial things:
there aren't enough of them to sink it if the Kurds and Shiites ally to
pass it; and sitting out an election is a bad idea. If the referendum
passes over Sunni objections, you can be sure they won't sit out the
vote for the permanent parliament in December; because it is there that
the constitution will find expression in laws passed by elected
representatives. Sunnis are currently registering to vote and in a
recent poll, 85 percent said they planned to do so.

This is an extraordinarily rapid march toward a more open system.
Frighteningly rapid because not everyone is committed to the bottom
line, that regular elections have to become a regular feature of
political life. There are clearly those in Iraq - most of whom are NOT
Iraqis - who don't want this to work. They are assassinating Iraqi
judges and constitution committee members, and blowing up police,
security forces and citizens in the street. They find dictatorial rule
much more efficient and lucrative than democratic "horse trading" and
they have the ability to make themselves a crucial factor.

The successes against the odds so far in Iraq are the first and best
reason for the U.S. and its coalition partners to stay the course. The
Iraqi people have proven that they will go to the polls under fire, but
they and other potential voters in the Middle East need American
assurance that the next election won’t be the last. "A practicing
democracy based on tolerance and liberty," is what the President told
the Palestinians to build. The Iraqis have far surpassed the
Palestinians in providing civic space and consensual government. They
deserve our military support to provide security space as they go
forward in a process that may ultimately transform the political map of
the region.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3139
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