Iraq Press Roundup

The political compromise is a coup against the constitution

The Iraqi people took great risks in 2005 to vote for a national constitution that they saw as a chance to bring a government to power that would secure their rights.

Iraqi politicians have been violating the constitution for the past three years, and the people are worried their dream of a lawful country is collapsing, the liberal al-Ahali newspaper said Monday.

Lawmakers are repeatedly violating the law of the land in order to gain political benefit at great detriment to the people. Meanwhile, political disputes are delaying any meaningful progress as national hydrocarbon laws meant to reinvigorate the national economy stall, along with a majority of other laws that are either unsigned or unenforced.

Pending laws regarding judicial authority, for their part, are unconstitutional, though they leave criminals unpunished as a form of political favor if they stay inactive.

There is a dire need, the newspaper said, to move forward on political agreement and compromise in order to push the wheels of progress forward without risk of violating the state constitution.

Municipal services and participation in the elections

The Iraqi people see the upcoming provincial elections as a way to improve their situation and bring about political transparency, though that may be unrealistic.

After five years of constant sacrifice, the January elections are seen as an opportunity for improvement as the Iraqi people were promised it would be worth dealing with the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and ongoing terrorist attacks, the independent al-Sabbah al-Jaddeed newspaper said Monday.

Democracy is evident in Iraq as the people have shown their eagerness to vote, but assessing the political ramifications over the last few years suggests a decentralized government in Iraq is a total failure.

The political situation, however, has become more transparent to the Iraqi people due to improvements on the ground, and the provincial elections will only improve that as the people choose adequate representation.

The lack of municipal services, meanwhile, may be a reflection of political participation regardless of involvement or party affiliation, making it necessary to encourage the people to vote to pressure lawmakers to heed their concerns.

Will sectarianism in Basra be defeated?

The January provincial elections will shape the future of Iraq's politics and determine the fate of the sectarian blocs that emerged following the U.S. occupation in 2003.

Sectarian parties do not provide any real platform or agenda for change and are therefore considered just as dangerous as the occupation itself, Sot al-Iraq news service said Monday.

Campaign placards in Iraq are rivaling those from the era of Saddam Hussein as the Jan. 31 election date draws near. Several political parties, however, have not learned the lessons from the past and are stoking sectarian and religious tensions in an effort to dominate the political scene and discourage participation in the elections.

Meanwhile in Basra, the post-liberation period was characterized by looting and smuggling as the southern political landscape develops, leaving many reconstruction projects delayed or postponed.

Lawmakers are living lavish lifestyles in the bustling port city while their constituents lack even basic services. Beyond that, so-called honor killings and terrorist attacks are on the rise as political parties advocate violence instead of reform.

The Iraqi people have the chance to correct the mistakes of the past and prevent these gangs with no real solutions from taking part in the political process.

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(Edited by Daniel Graeber)