Stunningly enough, I tend to agree with the NY Times editorial staff regarding the delays in the creation of the Iraqi constitution:
Monday’s vote to take another week to try to write a constitution for Iraq may actually be the most positive news to emerge so far from the frustrating and difficult process of drafting this vital document. That is a purely relative distinction. There is no cause for celebration in missing the original Aug. 15 target date. But by exercising its right to extend the deadline in the face of Washington’s undisguised and unhelpful impatience, Iraq’s parliament took the most responsible and constructive course available: to grant quarreling Sunni Arab, Shiite and Kurdish delegates another week to seek compromises that all can live with.
Actually, the fact that these groups are willing to work within a political process to extend the date for completion of the Constitution, particularly since they are defying coalition attempts to stick to the original date, was perceived by me to be a very positive development. Rather than immediately erupting into violence, they chose to continue working within their new political process. That seems to me to be a good thing.
Perhaps I am just looking for positive news, with all the other bad news dominating headlines, but I don’t necessarily view the delay as a bad thing, and, quite possibly, it is a good sign.
Your thoughts?
salvage
Any news out of Iraq that doesn’t end with “In other violence…” is a good thing.
Otto Man
I think the deadline was a horrible idea in the first place, something aimed to keep the Bush administration on its schedule for troop withdrawal, instead of something attuned to the needs of the Iraqis. This is something they’re going to have to live with, so let’s give them the time to do it right.
tBone
A delay is much better than the alternative. Let’s hope they can use the extra time to actually come up with something workable.
James Emerson
Your brother Juan apparently doesn’t walk along the same rose petalled path.
As all ‘Balloon Juice’s’ readers know, the TAL was Bremer’s (and the greater Neoconservative movement’s) attempt at constructing a brand new legal framework for Iraq, and one that was favorable to their agenda. The existence of which probably concerns the nationalistic insurgent IED makers.
Another more lively interpretation can be found here
Imagine that! We’re in violation of the Haque Regulations! We’ve been in violation of or have entirely abandoned so many of our treaties it’s becoming difficult to keep track.
The reality based community activists understand what is going on here. Iraq is going the pursue self-determination…an admirable goal if they can avoid the self-extermination that is seen looming just ahead.
pfrets
I only see one negative. While I applaud the efforts of the provisional government, I can only see the repub machine looking at this as a snub, which ALWAYS has repub repercussions.
Until there is a real, working government and a real, working Iraqi-based civilian police force willing and able to maintain control of Iraqi life, we will have to stay.
One day in the near future, this defiance will be used as another ‘fact’ to paint the picture that Iraq is truely ready for self rule and that the troops can come home.
They’re not ready. Multiple suicide attacks against their own citizens prove that. Match that up with the continually repeated lie that “we have XXX number of Iraqi battalions ready to do battle” and you have the basic ingredients for a real disaster.
KC
I’m glad there was a delay. Why should the Iraqis service an arbitrary deadline set up by the US? It’s there country, not ours. More importantly, what’s deadlocking them are important issues, federalism, women’s rights, etc., things that just can’t be papered over with ease.
James Emerson
Get your MoDO rising
SnarkyShark
It’s good news, in that the Iraqies are seperating themselves from yet another diktate from the Rummy department.
I waz gettin dizzy from turnin all them there corners. It started to feel like a circle jerk, with the American taxpayer as the pivot man.
Some reality now please.
Demdude
I guess the delay is a good thing if this demonstrates their commitment to achieving an equitable solution for the three parties.
I would not suggest it be allowed to go much further. My profession is Project Management. I can tell you from years of experience, if there is not a set date, people will take their time. The years of animosity between the groups are not going to fixed in another week, much less if given more time.
The other point is that people are dying every day. The cost of their delay is more dead on both sides. Given this and the political will of the US Electorate diminishing, they do not have much “buffer” room between the time the constitution is approved and the time the US will leave that country.
Defense Guy
Those attempting to find consensus on the US constitution were forced to compromise by ratifying the main body first and then the Bill of Rights a year later. So the Iraqis voting themselves another week seems par for the course.
Stormy70
No kidding. If you don’t give some people a deadline, they will just keep dithering and dithering, and will only make a decision at the last minute.
Looks like the Iraqis are working this out in a productive way, by using the political process, and will eventually have a working constitution.
Boronx
Heard Gailbraith on NPR, I don’t know if he has an axe to grind, but he said they’d never got past the first paragraph of the preamble, and that it was extremely unlikely that another seven days would do it.
7
If there is to be a deadline, than the Iraqis should set it themselves. Did we set deadlines for the Japanese or Germans?
Mason
Yeah, I thought it was a very positive development, too. They’re working within a political frame/process rather than shooting at each other.