Something's On The March, But It Might Not Be Freedom

There is word that Iraqi Shiite clerics will push for an Iraqi constitution that denies women equal rights with men. This would seem to be no big deal (they can push for whatever they want -- doesn't mean they'll get it), except for one small, nagging detail: the slate of Shiite candidates called the United Iraqi Alliance is expected to take the largest share of seats in the 275-member National Assembly. Thus, this is looks to be more than an idle threat.

VP Cheney and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld have attempted to play down these reports that leading Shiite clerics are pushing for strong Islamic terms to be incorporated into the new constitution. Oddly, CNB is hardly comforted by either Cheney (best case: was woefully mistaken on reasons for war in Iraq; worst case: lied like a rug) or Rummy (how does this guy still have a job?)

While the voting in Iraq was a wonderful sight, calling it a "resouding success" is a bit premature until we know how it will turn out, and all the propagandists with purple fingers cannot change that -- the Shiite coalition are also ahead in most of the absentee ballots cast by Iraqis living abroad, not just those in Shiite areas of Iraq.

Let's withhold final conclusions before prematurely proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" again.