On Monday, President George W. Bush declared the Iraqi elections a “resounding success,” according to the Washington Post. A successful first step to democracy for Iraq, yes, but the term “resounding success,” is questionable.
Bush said, “By participating in free elections, the Iraqi people have firmly rejected the anti-democratic ideology of terrorists.”
The Lariat editorial board agrees the Iraqi people have taken an important first step toward making a democracy, but the long road to that goal will be hard. According to The New York Times, Iraqi officials did acknowledge some voting problems. They included a ballot shortage in Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul, which may have contributed to the low Sunni turnout. Some of Iraq’s Sunni clerics said Wednesday the elections “lacked legitimacy” due to the low turnout of Sunni voters even though many were encouraged to boycott the elections. U.N. Election Expert, Carlos Valenzuela, told Associated Press the Sunni Arab turnout was higher than expected but still a low count. Also, Bush acknowledged that insurgency in Iraq will still be a worry during the next phase of Iraq’s transition. The first election has had its obstacles. The conflict will continue. We have seen steps taken in the right direction: Iraqis voting, U.S. Army turning over more combat outposts for Iraqi security forces to handle and other achievements, but they are not resounding. A draft of a constitution is the deciding and the hardest step in making Iraq into a democracy.
“Ultimately, it is the Iraqis who have the greatest stake in their country and not, whatever its economic and strategic interests, the United States,” an editorial read in the Daily Star, an English-language newspaper published in Beirut said.
Iraq’s road to a self-governing nation is one of the most important steps. The U.S. picture of democracy will not suit Iraq. Their religious sects, their history and their priorities are different. These next steps will be theirs to decide.
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