June 2007

Mission Accomplished?

A stated goal behind the US move into Iraq was to bring democracy to that part of the world. The Iraqi parliament voted 85 to 59 to pass a binding resolution that the president of Iraq get their approval before extending the US presence in their nation, and this faction led by Moqtada al-Sadr is inclined to say "no" to the US.

Iraq has a democracy that's willing to stand up to the US. That's pretty darn vibrant. And while the Sunni may see the Shi'a-led government as predatory, the way a group of antelope may view a superior number of lions, that's democracy at its heart.

So the question is, if the Iraqi parliament insists on stuffing the US mandate when it's up for review in December, what will the Bush administration do about it? Bush will be awaiting his successor from the November election (barring some Florida-like situation), but will still be the man in charge at that time.