[Dean's World] Dave Price: Major Breakthrough In Iraq

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Posted by Dave Price:
Major Breakthrough In Iraq
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1202923591.shtml


   This is the [1]best possible news:

     BAGHDAD - Iraq's parliament on Wednesday passed three key pieces of
     legislation that set a date for provincial elections, allot $48
     billion for 2008 spending, and provide limited amnesty to detainees
     in Iraqi custody.

   This appears to satisfy the last two of the three political benchmarks
   that were laid out for the Iraqis, the lack of which was used by
   Democrats to claim there was âno progressâ in Iraq. Itâs difficult to
   see how that meme persists now; it seems likely detractors will have
   to go back to citing the cost of the conflict.
   The new elections are particularly important:

     The last time Iraqis voted for local officials was January 2005,
     when nationwide elections ushered in representational government
     for the first time in modern history.
     But many Sunni Arabs boycotted the polls, giving Iraq's majority
     Shiites and minority Kurds the bulk of power. The U.S. hopes the
     new elections will empower the Sunni minority and blunt support for
     the insurgency

   Given the sea change in Sunni Iraq, the elections should go a long way
   towards empowering moderates.

References

   1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080213/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_new_laws_3;_ylt=AvP.l4T2stbyqskZjeO5Q1VX6GMA