Hurricane Katrina has diverted American attention from other corners of the world, but the nation shouldn’t let its eyes stray too long from Iraq, where hundreds have died in recent weeks and daily living conditions continue to lag.
On Wednesday, coordinated attacks killed about 170 people and injured nearly 600. In the deadliest incident, more than 100 day laborers looking for work were killed and 200 people wounded after a suicide bomber blew up a minivan.
Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for attacks in reprisal for the killings by U.S. and Iraqi forces of about 200 insurgents in Tal Afar, a city that had fallen under control of insurgents.
The attacks come at a particularly sensitive time, as Iraqis are scheduled to vote a month from today on a proposed constitution, an election that’s supposed to be followed in a few months by balloting for a permanent government.
Drafting and approval of a new constitution have been seen as key steps toward a more stable Iraq and eventual withdrawal of American troops. But many minority Sunnis, who dominated the government under Saddam Hussein, are unhappy with provisions drafted by Shiite and Kurdish leaders.
So, there’s a danger that the constitution won’t be ratified, or that many Sunnis will sit out the election, casting doubt on the document’s legitimacy or the prospects for a pluralistic democracy. Iraqi and American forces also face a tough assignment keeping a lid on violence leading up to the vote.
The non-military situation these days is as spotty as the security and political one.
The Brookings Institution tracks security, social and economic data in Iraq, and its analysts provide periodic updates in The New York Times. Their Sept. 9 report was sobering. “The government has made progress on managing inflation, rewriting banking laws and adopting strict budgetary rules to prevent deficit spending. Telephone and Internet use continue to increase; gross domestic product is greater than during Saddam Hussein’s latter years in power; school enrollment is up 20 percent since 2000. …
“But on balance the indicators are troubling. Electricity production remains stuck at prewar levels even as demand soars, and the power is off in Baghdad more often than it is on. Unemployment is stubbornly high. Infant mortality rates are still among the Middle East’s highest.”
From New Orleans to Baghdad, the Bush administration faces complicated rebuilding chores, and it needs to pay special attention to Iraq in the coming weeks even as important progress needs to be made in the domestic Gulf states.
