Iraq’s "New Morning"

The Washington Post (you have to go to page 18) sees, “In Iraq, Signs of Political Evolution.”

“As Iraqis nationwide prepare to go to the polls for the third time this year on Dec. 15 – this time for a new parliament – candidates and political parties of all stripes are embracing politics, Iraqi style, as never before and showing increasing sophistication about the electoral process, according to campaign specialists, party officials and candidates here.”

I had to chuckle at the “specialist with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, a group affiliated with the U.S. Democratic Party”, who is very positive about the portents, but whose advice seems more cut from the failing Kerry get-out-the-vote campaign than from the more effective Republican approach. “[S]everal candidates and party workers said, they cannot apply much of the advice they get from foreign election workers….’You could get killed…and we don’t have mail there,’ “ an Iraqi candidate said. The WP report continues: “Instead of retail politics, candidates rely largely on less direct means of contacting voters: Most major parties now have interactive Internet sites that provide information about platforms. Several parties employ cell phone text-messaging technology that allows them to send messages to hundreds of potential supporters at once. Funding comes from dues and donations paid by members.”

As in Afghanistan’s political evolution (see here) and the U.S. Democrats’ devolution (see here), there is a trend in history, and it is toward democracy and self-determination. Opponents will be swept into the dustbin of history, when they already haven’t jumped in like Democrat Chairman Howard Dean.