Eric Umansky notices the following today:
Only the Journal highlights a crucial bit of procedure: If two-thirds of the population of any three of Iraq’s 18 provinces vote no in a constitutional referendum, then the political process goes back to square 1, requiring not only a new draft constitution but a new transition parliament. So, how many provinces are Sunni-dominated?
Is there anything better to get Sunnis to embrace politics than to give them the ability to torpedo a Constitution that they strongly object to? I’m pretty certain that there are at least three provinces in Iraq that are dominated by Sunnis, who will have a huge incentive to vote, regardless of whether they love or hate the government. This is the most hopeful sign I’ve seen in some time.
Here’s a map of Iraq’s provinces. A bit of research reveals that Sunnis have a majority in Anbar, Salah ad Din, Ninawah, and Diyala.