Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats have made Iraq a key wedge issue to help bolster Democrats' prospects in November. As the level of violence has plummeted in the wake of the surge that both Barack Obama and Joe Biden opposed (and John McCain backed very early despite opposition from many in his own party), Democrats have fastened on a variety of other metrics to portray Iraq as a failure.
One of these measures was the inability of Iraqi politicians to pass an election law-a key step in its progress towards becoming a more fully democratic nation. Yesterday, Iraq's Parliament did pass a crucial election law. This from a story by Erica Goode in the New York Times where it is seen ...by many Iraqi and American officials as crucial for the nation to heal its deep-running political and religious fissures and also to shore up the fragile security gains that have been achieved in recent months.
... the bill’s passage represents a significant achievement for a country that has more often resorted to violence than political negotiation in resolving its differences.
The elections are likely to result in broader political representation in many parts of Iraq. And they will be watched closely for what they might forecast for the next parliamentary elections, to be held in 2009.
Women are assured of representation-a milestone that all people should applaud given the prejudice and misogyny that afflicts much of the region.
The Times buried this major news item on page A5. A story on the front-page on color-coded bracelets for hospitals is on page one. Large photos of George Bush, John McCain, and Barack Obama take up some prime real estate on the front-page of the New York Times.
But the major step forward in Iraq-a step that would help Republicans if widely known-buried by the Times.
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