Iraqi election two thirds of a resounding success!

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Now that the sides of the exciting upcoming Iraqi Civil War have been formalized, let's hear what the participants had to say:

Shiites: Hip Hip Hooray!
Kurds: Hip Hip Hooray!
Sunnis: [sound of gun loading]

In all seriousness, I think that most Iraqis proved yesterday the quality of their character by voting despite the potential for injury and death. And really, when it comes down to it, the sunnis only have themselves to blame by purposefully removing themselves electoral process, and therefore power. My understanding of the theory of democracy is that the majority rules unless the rights of the individual are threatened. But by removing yourself from the system, you remove any leverage you might have had. It's clear that the Sunnis will largely view the election as illegitimate and use that to justify more violence. So the only possibility for success in Iraq longterm will be to precariously balance between a return to the kind of apartheid situation that existed under Saddam and oppression or retribution against the Sunnis. And of course, the sooner the U.S. can leave, the better... except that it will leave a power vacuum. Hmm.

I once suggested that the U.S. load up a C-130 with tons of marijuana inside as a giant flying reefer, flown over the "Triangle of Death." Of course, I suggested that to a former soldier, and he got fairly pissed. Which may just be the natural state of former soldiers. Anyhow, I think that's the only lasting solution.

Hats off to the Iraqis, though. To a large extent they showed patriotism and courage that a lot of frothing-at-the-mouth dittoheads could only dream of.