Arthur Chrenkoff has a round up of the good news out of Iraq for the last couple of weeks. Here are some numbers to ponder:
The election campaign officially kicked off on Dec. 15, the day voter registration finished across Iraq. In the words of the current prime minister, Iyad Allawi, who announced his candidacy at the head of his Iraqi National Accord movement: "We strongly reject the injustice and separation of the past and we are working towards national unity." Allawi called the election a "precious dream."
Iraqis seem to agree. The latest poll of 5,000 people in and around Baghdad suggests that an overwhelming majority are prepared to make a clean break with the past and pursue democracy--now. Some of the specific results:
What will you base your vote on?
Political agenda - 65%
Factional origin - 14%
Party Affiliation - 4%
National Background - 12%
Other reasons - 5%
Do you support dialog with the deposed Baathists?
Yes - 15%
No - 84%
Do not know - 1%
Do you support postponing the election?
Yes - 18%
No - 80%
Do not know - 2%
Do you think the elections will take place as scheduled?
Yes - 83%
No - 13%
Do not know - 4%
This is good news as the violence against the inhabitants of Iraq is increasing, with the latest attack killing 62 and injuring 120. But the people of Iraq will prevail, not without some casualties, but in the end they want to experience the greatness of democracy and change the tyranny that they have been living under for so long.
