Elections in Iraq

The election in Iraq has left me feeling rather hopeful. No, the Sunnis didn't vote, but the Shiites who were elected are apparently inviting the Sunni parties to help write the constitution anyway. And, on NPR I heard from a representative of at least one of these parties that they will accept the invitation.

My uncle John, who is a professor of political science and a politician himself, nailed it when he said,

I think the election yesterday in Iraq was good news for Iraq, the Middle East generally, and for the U.S. Our loathing for George Bush and misguided American policies shouldn't lead us to forget that democracy is better than tyranny, nor does a successful election yesterday justify the lies and the base motives that led us to make war on Iraq in the first place.