Shiites Win Big in Iraqi Elections

Posted on February 13, 2005

So, the results are in. It looks like the Shiites really got their base out to vote: the Shiite Islamist slate received more than 47% of the vote, a Kurdish alliance got 25% and our guy Allawi was the anchorman in the election, with only 14% of the votes. Each of those parties will take their proportion of the 275 seats in the National Assembly which will write a new constitution.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that the Sunnis barely voted at all. But it looks like the Kurds really showed up at the polls, thank goodness. Turkey is making grumbling noises about the Kurds and their independent leanings. Condi tried to pour oil on those troubled waters, but I still think that there's a good chance that if the new government doesn't respect the Kurdish independent streak, they are going to secede and form a Kurdistan. Now everyone is dealmaking like crazy to get enough support for a good voting block in the upcoming constitutional squabbling.

Allawi hotfooted it up to see the Kurds and discuss how his secular leanings are more beneficial to them than the Islamic government favored by Sistani. Still, this is not good news for the U.S.'s interests. Even if the Kurds and Allawi's people form an alliance, they still are outnumbered by the Shiites. Allawi better brush up on his negotiating skills. Let's hope they're better than his campaigning skills.