The previews billed this one as even bigger than the last one. More explosions! More assassinations! More political intrigue!
As sequels go, this one turned out to be quite the snoozer - that meant rave reviews from most critics and nearly all participants.
On Saturday, Iraq held its second nationwide vote since the fall of Saddam Hussein. This time, Iraqi voters turned out to vote yea or nay to a constitution. Turnout was estimated between 61 and 64 percent, with some votes left to count. That was up from 58 percent at the January Iraqi elections.
The major reason for the increase in turnout this time was that Sunni Iraqis turned out in much greater numbers. Yes, they were mostly attempting to vote down the constitution, but consider that back in January, most of them were abstaining from the political process - either because they didn't recognize the Iraqi government as legitimate or because they thought continued terrorist attacks would lead to the overthrow of the Iraqi government.
This represents a major step forward in turning Iraq from a country where differing opinions are settled with roadside bombs to one where ballots are the only ammunition needed.
Consider that during the January elections, there were 347 separate terrorist attacks on voters, polling places or security for the elections. On Saturday, there were 13. Thirteen is still 13 too many, but to see such an improvement in nine months is nothing short of amazing.
And even though large portions of the Sunni population voted no on the drafted constitution, they failed to vote it down. A two-thirds vote of no in just three of Iraq's 18 provinces would have been enough to scuttle the draft, but only two provinces appeared to have reached that plateau. If, in the final tally, initial returns hold up - and so far, every indication is they will - Iraq will have officially adopted its first constitution. A vote will then be held in December to elect a national parliament.
Sometimes, the speed at which history happens is remarkable. Three years ago, also on Oct. 15, Iraqis voted in an "election" in which Hussein won 99.9 percent of the "vote."
Three years later, Iraqis are voting on a document that will allow them to fully run their own country, and those same Iraqis are able to vote something other than "yes" without the fear of having their hands cut off, finding their loved ones "have disappeared" or being imprisoned in one of Saddam's lavishly appointed penal facilities.
As blogger Roger Simon points out, it took the United States more than eleven years put its working constitution into effect. Iraq did it in less than three, from the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 19, 2003, to Saturday's elections.
Yes, I know that circumstances are very different and not entirely comparable. Certainly, James Madison could never disseminate information with the Internet's speed, and yes, the Iraqis had help in overthrowing their government. However, if you think the Revolutionary War was free from foreign "interference," I suggest taking a few history courses.
Nonetheless, this is a remarkable accomplishment.
What does all this mean? What does it mean to have an Iraqi government that is no longer "interim" but, instead, has been directly elected by Iraqis themselves?
It means that, just maybe, the end is in sight. Just maybe, Iraqis can take care of themselves now. Just maybe, it means that after December's election, we can start bringing our troops home. Just maybe, just hopefully, we will soon be speaking of the Iraq War as a thing of the past.
Write to Tim at
redbaron.strikesagain@gmail.com
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