The significance of the Iraqi constitution vote

Lies in the statement by one disgruntled Sunni voter who said, "I'm voting no to end the occupation"*. Something there for everyone to agree with, surely? For opponents of the war, a desire to see the end of the occupation; for those of us that supported it, this and the fact that they are voting at all.

If anyone imagined a pristine democracy would magically sprout in Iraq after decades of such depravity, they were surely naive? When in history did any new democracy pass the standards now being set for this one, and under these conditions?

It is so very far from being a functioning democracy as we would understand it - but what you do have nevertheless is the first signs of the routinisation of politics in Iraq in living memory. Break open a couple of political histories before you dismiss this as insignificant...

N.B. Liked this bit from the Observer:

"'People are scared to say they voted Yes,' said a woman with a Glaswegian accent, who asked to be identified only as 'Mrs Mohammed'. A naturalised resident of Iraq for over 25 years, she had originally planned to vote No but, like her husband, changed her mind when the Islamic party swapped horses."

Wegies, ya bass! We get everywhere; there's no escape...

*It was on the beeb - but I can't find it now.