Democratising Iraq (7) Historic Iraqi Government Moves Closer

Progress toward the formation of an Iraqi goverment is good news. The rise and fall of the bombings and killings of 'the resistance' and the fortunes of the political process in Iraq run in close parallel.

Rory Caroll at the Guardian is reporting "Iraq's political deadlock appeared to have been broken last night when the prime minister-designate, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, submitted a draft list of cabinet ministers to President Jalal Talabani. If approved, the list will clear the way for a government to be formed almost three months after landmark elections, restoring momentum to a political process mired in bickering between rival blocs."

Note that word 'bickering'. Do commentators always understand that what is being achieved in Iraq is historically unprecedented? Without models a democratic polity based on a social contract following one person one vote elections is taking place in a Middle Eastern country. Add in the fact that the borders of Iraq were formed by British imperialism in it’s best Perfidious Albion mode to divide and rule. Then remember that the ethnic groups of Iraq were tormented and deliberately set against each other by a totalitarian dictator for thirty years. And the claims of Islam must be found a place in the constitution without creating a theocracy.. Finally all ths is taking place in a country emerging from sanctions and war suffering a Ba'athist-Islamist 'resistance' that blows up anyone who seeks to make the historic experiment work. No, 'bickering' does not do justice to what has been happening in Iraq. (AJ)