October 5, 2005
BA'ATHISTS, AL QAEDA, THE MSM...:
Iraqi charter gains wide backing (Andrew Quinn, October 5, 2005, REUTERS NEWS AGENCY)
Recent polling shows widespread support for a new Iraqi constitution to be voted on Oct. 15, even in strongholds of Sunni Arab groups that are fighting to derail the charter.
Mehdi Hafedh, director of the Iraqi Center for Development and International Dialogue, said his latest survey showed that Iraqis are exhausted by the continuing violence and that most are hoping the new constitution will be a first step toward the restoration of order.
"The Iraqi people want to finalize the political process as soon as possible. ... They want to establish a normal government and institutions," Mr. Hafedh said yesterday, adding: "Iraqis want this situation to end. It is untenable." [...]Although support for the constitution was particularly high in the northern Kurdish areas and southern regions dominated by Shi'ites, Mr. Hafedh said it topped 50 percent even in central provinces known as the heartland of Sunni unrest -- a sign, he said, that the Sunni-Shi'ite split is not as wide as many fear.
"This is exaggerated by political elites who are seeking power and by Western media and analysts," Mr. Hafedh said. "If you go down to the streets, you can't tell who is Sunni and who is Shi'ite. We are all mixed."
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 5, 2005 8:53 AM
One thing common in war is for Americans to overrate the enemy, especially in terms of morale. We keep thinking the enemy is some fanatic ideologue - whether they be Nazis, Shinto emperor-worshipping Japanese, Communists, or Muslims. We forget that even fresh volunteers have family and loved ones back home, and that the sting of combat and continued defeat make people less anxious to fight.
Iraqis are exhausted. They have had nothing but misery in Iran-Iraq and both Gulf Wars. Far from inflaming them, the latest offensive combined with the constitution vote will probably convince most to end the fight. They know they can't win.
There are many places to legitimately criticize the handling of the war. Bush has made mistakes, and some of them were ones he was warned about. But everyone makes mistakes in wars, and our enemy has not been able to take advantage of them. Despite our problems, we have significant accomplishments we can point to. Bush is doing the right thing in sticking it through.
Overestimating your enemy's resourcefulness is good to prepare people for the sacrifice to come and to warn against complacency, but is ridiculous when harping on it erodes morale.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at October 5, 2005 11:51 AM