Iraqi Government Ends Impasse, Creates a Cabinet

Iraq took another important step toward self rule today. As reported by CNN, Iraq’s National Assembly approved a list of cabinet members, thus creating a government and allowing Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to assume his post. This development ends a long impasse and singles the Iraqi leadership’s continued commitment to making their new government viable.

They still have a very long road ahead. The country remains under the constant threat of violence as we saw in yesterday’s assassination of National Assembly woman Lamee'a Abd Khidawi. But the brave members of the Iraqi government should be praised for their determination. Whatever you think of our decision to invade Iraq, we should all support giving this new government the absolute best chance at success.

That means our troops will be in Iraq and will be harms way for many more months. But to abandon Iraq now would be a horrible mistake. More than one of our readers has called the conflict a “lost cause.” The Iraq National Assembly’s ability to work through their impasse and create a government proves that the people of Iraq don’t consider this a lost cause. And neither should we.