Iraqi Sunni parties form alliance

BBC NEWS:

Three Iraqi Sunni parties have announced the formation of an alliance to contest upcoming legislative elections in December. The announcement on Tuesday that the constitution was approved cleared the way for the polls to elect a new Iraqi National Assembly. The parties urged Iraqis to take part in the polls and to reject any calls for a boycott. Sunni Arab parties largely boycotted last January's parliamentary elections. The three parties hope to increase Sunni representation in a national assembly that is currently dominated by Shia Arab and Kurdish parties. 'The leaders of the following political blocs, the Iraqi Peoples Gathering, the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Iraqi National Dialogue, have agreed to run on one list under the name Iraqi Accord Front,' a joint statement said.

This seems like a very positive sign to me that despiute their dissatisfaction with the constitution, Iraqi Sunnis remain ready to participate in the political process. I continue to be pleased with events in Iraq, remarkably pleased in fact. It strikes me as odd that even with an obvious increase in IP and Iraqi Army effectiveness, the first democratically established constitution in the Arab world, a general decline in violence, and increased signs that Iraqi Sunnis are willing to participate in democracy that so many are still filled with doom and gloom about the prospect of success in Iraq. It certainly seems to me to be much more likely than not that a successful and stable democracy will be firmly established in Iraq within a couple of years. I expect that their will still be some violence. Such an Iraq will be a natural enemy of Al-Qaida and it will not be free of that threat (which nations are though?) There will of course be political disagreements and issues that will continue to arrise. The idea that these issues should be handled in a democratic fashion is taking root strongly though, and that itself makes a huge difference.