Election day in Iraq

I'm sitting here Sunday morning, laid up with the leg injury suffered earlier in the week playing soccer, watching the news coverage of the Iraq election. By most news accounts (CNN example), more people went to the polls, at least in Baghdad, than expected. TV news ("Democracy in Action") showed many people risking their safety, almost defiantly, going to the polls. There have been more than a dozen attacks by insurgents with roadside and suicide bombs killing at least 25 and wounded over 70. While turnout may have been high in the regions of Iraq with a high percentage of Shiites, news accounts are also confirming that the turnout in the Sunni Triangle has been low. But the more the Iraqi people stand up to the Saddam loyalists, and the foreign and Al Qaeda terrorists, the less power they will have over the general population. I just hope the people can make it through the near term attacks.

So, once this interim government is in place, they will have a year to write a new constitution for Iraq, which will then be followed by another election to elect leaders based on the rules of that constitution. By then, if not sooner, the when and how US forces will be withdrawn will have to be answered. I don't want to be pessimistic on this day, but a Doonesbury comic from yesterday expresses the prevailing view that it could take 5-15 years! By then, I'm sure the cost of our involvement will be approaching the trillions of dollars and who knows how many more lives.