New York Post columnist Peter Brookes opines that those predicting a disastrous election in Iraqi are one week away from being proved wrong (via NealeNews).
...IRI conducted the poll Dec. 26 to Jan. 7 in 16 (of 18) Iraqi provinces. It shows that "anticipated participation numbers among Iraqis remain consistent [with previous polls], with over 80 percent stating that they are very likely or somewhat likely to vote on Jan. 30."
Contrast that 80 percent turnout with our own 60 percent turnout last November — America's highest since 1968.
There's more: The survey also indicates that more than half of all Iraqis living in the troubled Sunni areas — and nearly half of the Sunnis, themselves — are "likely" or "somewhat likely" to vote.
In other words, despite the violence, Iraq's Sunni minority will ultimately decide it's better to be inside the tent than outside when the new national assembly drafts a constitution later this year.
In addition, nearly half of those polled (45 percent) say they now support or identify strongly with a political party running in the election, a threefold increase since May.
The survey also relates that: "Iraqis remain optimistic about the future of their country as they anticipate their first post-Saddam democratic elections." Some 52 percent said they think the country will be better off in six months. And 60 percent expect conditions to improve in a year. Even more (65 percent) are optimistic about Iraq five years out.
Mr. Brooke offers that some of the naterring nabobs of negativity would actually prefer a Bush administration failure to a succesful democracy in Iraq. When I am my most cynical I think that if it was a Democratic administration in charge the conservative pundits would be the ones nattering. Alas, if that were the case Saddam Hussein would still be in power and there would be no need for elections.
