The Iraq vote

Riverbend, an Iraqi in Baghdad, discusses the Iraq vote....

...The trouble is that it didn't address the actual problems Iraqis have with the constitution (Sunnis and Shia alike). The focus of negotiations by 'Sunni representatives' seemed to revolve around Iraq's Arab identity and de-Ba'athification. A clause has also been added which says that the constitution will be subject to change (quelle surprise! Yet again!) with the new government after the next elections. That doesn't make me feel better because changes can work both ways: if the next 'elected' government is, again, non-secular, pro-Iran, the amendments made to what is supposed to be a permanent constitution will be appalling.

Iraq's Arab identity, due to its Arab majority, won't be reduced just because it isn't stated over and over again in a constitution. It's as if the people negotiating the constitution chose to focus on the minute, leaving the more important issues aside. Issues like guaranteeing Iraq's unity and guaranteeing that it won't be turned into an Islamic state modeled on Iran.

The referendum is only hours away and the final version of the constitution still hasn't reached many people. Areas with a Sunni majority are complaining that there aren't polling stations for kilometers around -- many of these people don't have cars and even if they did, what good would it do while there's a curfew until Sunday? Polling stations should be easily accessible in every area.

This is like deja vu from January when people in Mosul and other Sunni areas complained that they didn't have centers to vote in or that their ballot boxes never made it to the counting stations.

American media is trying to make it sound like Sunnis have suddenly been mollified with the changes made in a flurry of covert meetings these last few days, but the reality is that the only Sunni party openly supporting the constitution is the Iraqi Islamic Party which represents a very, very small percentage of Sunnis.

Most educated Iraqis want to vote against the constitution. This makes the fact that Iraqis abroad aren't being allowed to vote this time around worrisome. Why was it vital for them to vote for a temporary government back in January but it's not necessary for them to contribute to this referendum which will presumably decide a permanent constitution for generations and generations of Iraqis? Could it be that the current Iranian inclined government knew that many Iraqis abroad didn't like the constitution because of federalism, women's rights, and the mention of no laws to be placed which contradict Islam?

Also see Andrew Arato, writing on Juan Cole's Informed Comment.