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gilliam
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The Guardian: Sunnis admit poll boycott blunder and ask to share power
Iraq’s Arab Sunnis will do a U-turn and join the political process despite their lack of representation in the newly elected national assembly, Sunni leaders said yesterday.
Many Sunnis protested that the election was flawed and unfair, but in the wake of Sunday’s results, which confirmed the marginalisation of what was Iraq’s ruling class, their political parties want to lobby for a share of power.
“Our view is that this election was a step towards democracy and ending the occupation,” said Ayad al-Samaray, the assistant general secretary of the Iraqi Islamic party. He said unnamed Sunni leaders blundered in depicting the election as a deepening of the occupation.
The insurgency ravaging Iraq is based in Sunni areas, and there were fears that the violence would escalate if the once-dominant minority was further alienated. A call by clerics for a boycott, and threats by insurgents meant very few Sunnis voted in the January 30 poll.
Having endured the brunt of US attacks in towns such as Falluja and Ramadi, many derided the ballot as an attempt to legitimise a foreign occupation. The consequent landslide for the Shias and Kurds means that they will drive the new government and the drafting of a constitution.
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Secular Sunni leaders yesterday accepted the victors’ invitation to participate, potentially draining support from the insurgency.
“We can’t say it was wise or logical to not participate; it was an emotional decision,” said Mr Samaray. “Now the Sunni community faces the fact that it made a big mistake and that it would have been far better to participate.”
From The Guardian no less. This is the latest in a series of reports that the Sunnis want to join the democratic process in Iraq. Since there will be further transitional steps this year, it is by no means too late for them to do so.
Surely there can not be a possibility that the transitional plan for the Iraqi government was well-planned?
iraqelect.com/index.php/archives/category/constitution/
Iraq’s Arab Sunnis will do a U-turn and join the political process despite their lack of representation in the newly elected national assembly, Sunni leaders said yesterday.
Many Sunnis protested that the election was flawed and unfair, but in the wake of Sunday’s results, which confirmed the marginalisation of what was Iraq’s ruling class, their political parties want to lobby for a share of power.
“Our view is that this election was a step towards democracy and ending the occupation,” said Ayad al-Samaray, the assistant general secretary of the Iraqi Islamic party. He said unnamed Sunni leaders blundered in depicting the election as a deepening of the occupation.
The insurgency ravaging Iraq is based in Sunni areas, and there were fears that the violence would escalate if the once-dominant minority was further alienated. A call by clerics for a boycott, and threats by insurgents meant very few Sunnis voted in the January 30 poll.
Having endured the brunt of US attacks in towns such as Falluja and Ramadi, many derided the ballot as an attempt to legitimise a foreign occupation. The consequent landslide for the Shias and Kurds means that they will drive the new government and the drafting of a constitution.
…
Secular Sunni leaders yesterday accepted the victors’ invitation to participate, potentially draining support from the insurgency.
“We can’t say it was wise or logical to not participate; it was an emotional decision,” said Mr Samaray. “Now the Sunni community faces the fact that it made a big mistake and that it would have been far better to participate.”
From The Guardian no less. This is the latest in a series of reports that the Sunnis want to join the democratic process in Iraq. Since there will be further transitional steps this year, it is by no means too late for them to do so.
Surely there can not be a possibility that the transitional plan for the Iraqi government was well-planned?
iraqelect.com/index.php/archives/category/constitution/