Constitution Update

Saturday evening and still no movement on the constitution front. Shiites say the document is in final form, Sunnis say there is no agreement and that the proceedings are illegal since the initial deadline is long past. There is an assembly meeting called for tomorrow.

These guys are as bad as US Senators except that they're arguing over really important stuff, not trivia like John Bolton's character.

Iraqi4ever posts pictures of Saddamites protesting the constitution carrying Saddam's picture and chanting "Saddam, commander of peace and victory." [here]

Their argument is an old one -- that democracy equals anarchy and therefore strong, even autocratic leadership is needed. The great danger is that this sentiment should be generalized through the Iraqi population. Earlier I noted one expression of this longing for order at all costs [here]. Just the fact that these men feel comfortable protesting publicly under Saddam's image is another ominous indicator.

If there is no real progress toward a self-sustaining democratic state this authoritarian tendency will only get stronger.

Raed Jarrar, reflecting the Baathist line, declares the constitutional process to be dead. He writes:

The January elections didn’t solve any of Iraq’s problems because it happened in the wrong time and under the wrong circumstances, and it led to more destruction and disasters in Iraq. The current constitution process is happening in the wrong time and under wrong circumstances too.

De-assembling the joke called the Iraqi “government” would be in the best of Iraq and Iraqis, and holding new general elections without occupation forces going around the streets is the best scenario Iraq can reach to for the time being.

The US administration should think seriously of changing their policy in Iraq, and maybe changing their entire shameful Foreign Policy around the world.

Read the whole thing here.

Note he features a picture of anti-war demonstrators in the US [above], thus highlighting the strengthening bond between Middle-East fascists and Western Leftists.

The Spectator [here] notes the formalization of this far left/far right alliance in Britain. The American Thinker expands on the moral emptiness of this collaboration [here]. Or, you could read any of several recent articles by Christopher Hitchens.

IraqPundit [here] has a message for the American anti-war demonstrators.

So to the critics who are certain that democracy for Iraq is not worth pursuing because Bush supports it, go ahead and hang out with the crazies [Baathist apologists]. It may take a while, but I'll send you a post card from a peaceful, prosperous Iraq.

And, unfortunately, it is taking quite a while.

The disappointment, turning to derision, felt by pro-democracy Iraqis is palpable.

Salam Pax writes: [here]

...and the next dedication goes out to the National Assembly and everybody involved in the Constitution writing process, may the power to extend extension endlessly be with you.

You will you won't
You do you don't
You're saying you will
But you know you won't

Hammorabi urges them to forget further negotiations and just go straight to the popular vote.
[here]