First the news…
From: WashingtonPost.com
BAGHDAD, Oct. 15 — Sunni Arab voters turned out in force for Iraq’s constitutional referendum Saturday as insurgents largely suspended attacks, granting Sunnis a chance to try to defeat the U.S.-backed charter and giving much of the country a rare day of peace that belied the deep fractures exposed by the vote. Voting en masse for the first time since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Sunni Arabs cast ballots in large numbers, according to electoral officials and witnesses. Turnout in areas populated by the country’s Shiite majority and ethnic Kurds, whose political leaders drafted the proposed constitution, was described by officials as low. (more…)
It is important to note here that the constitution is based on Islamic law. This should not have come as a big surprise to westerns who wanted to see this country do away with this type of governorship. This system has a very long history of not being too favorable towards women. On an encouraging note, women have been allowed to play significant roles in this type of government in recent years.
The good thing about all of this is that as the article mentions, the Iraqi people have for the first time in many years been given the opportunity to help shape their own government–something that the anti-war/Bush crowd will play down.
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