EL MUNDO, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2005
                      OPINION

OP-ED

“IT´S THEIR CHOICE…”

By Eduardo Aguirre, U.S. Ambassador to Spain

Sometimes I wonder if, amid the unending waves of the 24-hour news cycle, we fully recognize when we learn of an event whose importance transcends the level of what will be little remembered a few days hence. With the latest stories arising constantly to replace those of a few hours earlier, we do not always give proper attention and reflection to extraordinary developments. One such event, I believe, was the Iraqi National Assembly’s announcement of its completion of a draft constitution.

The draft Iraqi constitution is a remarkable accomplishment. United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan welcomed it as “the result of an Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned process.” The European Union praised the news and encouraged all Iraqis to participate in the October 15 national referendum. The United States adds its congratulations to the Iraqi people on yet another critical step toward establishing a free and democratic country.

In just over two years, Iraqis have left behind a ruthless dictatorship, marked by mass executions, rape chambers and invasions, and are steadily moving forward to a burgeoning democracy that is fighting – and winning – a battle for a peaceful future.

Of course, the process has not been without enormous difficulties.  The violence and intimidation used by a small minority in an effort to prevent the emergence of a democratic Iraq can be seen on a daily basis in the media. Beyond the matter of the insurgents, it is no secret that not every Iraqi political or religious leader agrees with the draft text. But I don’t believe that this is reason to denigrate what has been achieved. Things rarely go 100% smoothly whenever politicians of different parties and factions get together to negotiate and seek accords.  I expect that we can all easily think of examples of such political give and take from outside Iraq, so I won’t offer any.

Let’s not deny the tremendous progress Iraqis have made. They have produced a draft with some of the most far-reaching democratic and human rights commitments in the Middle East, or anywhere else. It establishes a democratic system in which all voices may be heard, the rule of law is respected, and women are full political partners. It protects fundamental rights and freedoms, vests sovereignty in the people, and declares that all Iraqis are equal before the law without regard to sex, ethnicity or religion.

While there is not complete consensus on every point, the Iraqi representatives reached agreements on a wide range of contentious issues through dialogue, debate, compromise – the everyday tools of democratic society. Iraqis can be proud of the hard work of their representatives and proud of the resulting draft text.

Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes democratic negotiations and political consensus.  We often hear criticisms of the shortcomings of the efforts of those trying to create political solutions, those trying to rebuild infrastructure, those trying to provide security. It’s curious, but I don’t see as many condemnations of those who openly declare war on democracy and murder those who do not support their extremist goals.

Through a series of unspeakably horrific acts – kidnappings and beheadings, car bombs aimed at school children, and other barbarities – terrorists have chosen to wage war against a future of freedom for Iraq. As the Jordanian terrorist al-Zarqawi declared when he attempted to stop the January elections, Al-Qaeda and its ilk vow a fight to the death against what they consider “the evil principle of democracy.” It is a fight we cannot walk away from.  It is a fight that no democratic society can accept losing.

On January 30 I thrilled at the sight of Iraqis proudly displaying purple ink-stained fingers as proof they had voted, Iraqis by the millions defying the terrorists’ threats. The naysayers – those who always say ‘no,’ those who always harp on the negative – told us the election would fail. They were wrong. On January 30, millions of Iraqis chose democracy against unthinkable threats.

In the coming months Iraqis will examine, discuss and debate their draft constitution, and on October 15 they will vote again.  I do not know what they will decide. We’ll have to wait and see; it’s their choice.

But we who are not Iraqis have choices to make, too.

The overwhelming majority of Iraqis want nothing more than the opportunity to build a new future for themselves, for their children, and for their country, in peace, in security, in freedom. We can choose to help them. Spain, for example, is providing generous financial support for Iraq’s reconstruction and valuable assistance in training Iraqis to provide the internal stability and security the country so urgently needs.

The United States’ choice and commitment is clear – we will stand by the Iraqis. We will help them defeat the terrorists, and we will offer all the assistance we can as they build the foundations for a new, democratic, more prosperous Iraq. We have made significant sacrifices, and we deeply feel the loss of lives. But we also recognize that our interests in a stable and peaceful Iraq coincide with those of the Iraqi people – and we know that this goal is achieved not by hoping for the best, but by hard work and determination.

The media, too, have choices. They can focus their coverage on opposition to this constitution, or on the nascent democratic culture it arose from. The media can portray the terrorist violence in Iraq as a failure by those who are striving, not completely successfully, to ensure stability and build, for the first time, democracy – or choose to examine more closely the terrorists’ despicable actions and their stated goals.

Some analysts, I expect, will snipe at the Iraqi political process and progress, more interested in criticizing President Bush than in looking at what’s at stake in Iraq or how we can contribute to a better Iraqi future. It’s very easy to point out imperfections. We do not have to support, defend or attack this constitution; that’s a matter for Iraqis to resolve. But we can recognize the remarkable maturity and growing confidence of Iraqis to handle their own political affairs.

And those people who for so long have told us only the negative – they too can choose. They can remain steadfast in their eternal pessimism – or cynicism, as the case may be. But I hope they can give the Iraqi people well-deserved credit for what they have accomplished. Perhaps some will decide that the Iraqi people’s sincere hopes for a better future merit, if not their optimism, at least their best wishes.

It took Iraq’s interim government just three months to establish election regulations, only three months more to organize and conduct elections widely lauded, including by the UN, as free and fair. It has taken this elected National Assembly not quite seven months to organize a national government, build consensus among disparate groups and draft a constitution that will now be submitted for the people’s decision.

On October 15, the Iraqi people will have the opportunity to decide, democratically, their country’s political future. Three years ago, who could have imagined this possibility?

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