Accusations of Fraud and Uncertainty for the Future Surround Vote on Iraqi Constitution

Interview with Hussein Ibish, executive director of the Foundation for Arab-American leadership, conducted by Scott Harris

The Oct. 15 referendum on Iraq's proposed constitution went forward with a lower level of violence than predicted. Despite a recent escalation of attacks by anti-occupation insurgents, there were relatively few strikes on military and civilian targets on the day of the Iraqi election. After hearing initial reports that voter participation may have been higher than last January's legislative election and the failure of opponents to defeat approval of the constitution, President Bush praised the vote as a sign that Iraqis want to settle their disputes peacefully.

But after two days of counting ballots, the Independent Election Commission of Iraq said that they were investigating unusually high vote totals in 12 Shiite and Kurdish provinces, where in some cases 99 percent of the votes were cast in favor of the draft constitution. Prominent leaders of Iraq's Sunni minority, who largely opposed the constitution, were quick to assert that the irregular vote tally may indicate fraud -- calling into question the referendum's credibility.

Despite last minute negotiations to appease the Sunni voters by offering a chance to amend the constitution at a later date, early election results show most Sunnis opposed the charter. One of the most contentious provisions of the document on the minds of opponents was a fear that the sanction of autonomous zones in the oil-rich Kurdish north and a similar zone in the Shiite south would lead to a break-up of the nation. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Hussein Ibish, executive director of the Foundation for Arab-American Leadership. He discusses the results of Iraq's constitutional referendum and how it may affect the war and the timetable for U.S. withdrawal.

Contact the Foundation for Arab-American Leadership by visiting their website at: www.halafoundation.org

Related links:

"Government Accused of Death Squads in Iraq," by Sinan Salaheddin, The Associated Press; Oct. 7, 2005

Middle East Report website www.merip.org

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