Sunnis Turn Out to Reject Iraqi Charter

By MARIAM FAM and ANTONIO CASTANEDA, Associated Press Writers
27 minutes ago

FALLUJAH, Iraq - By voting against the constitution, Ammar Mustafa wanted to do more than reject a document he thinks will divide Iraq. The young Sunni Arab wanted to show the Americans that he didn't appreciate what he saw as U.S. meddling in his country.

"This is a contribution to democracy my way, not the American way," he said.

He and other Sunni Arabs voters turned out in surprising numbers Saturday, many of them heeding calls of their clerics to reject the charter. If two-thirds of voters in three Sunni provinces reject the constitution, it will be defeated, even if it wins a majority nationwide.

But even if minority Sunnis fail to block the charter's ratification, a strong "no" vote within the community — which dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein — raises questions about whether the charter will fulfill Washington's goal of luring fighters away from the Sunni-led insurgency.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051015/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_the_sunnis

... and take away the lesson that violence isn't the only way to impel change. Here's hoping Bush gets lucky.

Here's hoping....

Iraquis voting ... what the hell happened to the WMDs?

I don't remember if it's in the Nation or another of the progressive mags.