Parliament adjourned this month and by Sunday most Iraqi parliament members had flitted off to London or Paris or the province they represent.
A lot of them didn't even wait until parliament ended. Their last controversial session before their summer break was attended by just over half of the legislators. And those that stuck it out didn't pass the provincial elections law after a bitter dispute over the oil rich city of Kirkuk.
So while most parliament members were unavailable the government chose to open the new parliament building housed outside the heavily fortified Green Zone. The audience was so small at the televised ceremony that the camera zoomed in on one section of the seating to give the illusion of a full crowd.
Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki attended and gave a twenty minute speech about the new democratic Iraq, the continued intent to find and catch terrorists and how reconstruction was the next step for the new Iraq.
As he spoke people fanned themselves with newspapers and notebooks in the 120 degree heat. A typical scene in the suffocating heat of Iraqi summers.
Finally he gave up.
"I can’t talk for a very long time because it’s very hot," he said. "I hope they put in the air conditioning soon."
After the opening ceremony the parliament sent out a press release to clarify what the celebration signified. The ceremony was to commemorate the basic construction of the building. But it was still not ready for parliament to use as a meeting space.
Small victories. One step at a time.
I suppose we must just hope those small steps continue to move forward, and not backward? Sadly, most Iraqis can't escape the summer heat to Paris or London. No doubt, they too are hoping the air conditioning comes back on soon.
Posted by: R J Adams | August 13, 2008 at 10:24 PM
This infuriates me. These "lawmakers" have been slacking from the start. It's no wonder nothing is getting accomplished. A MONTH vacation while the country is in shambles? Last year too, and they have nothing to show for what they HAVE been doing. Meanwhile, we're spending billions shoring up the whole country. Enough is enough.
Posted by: Tom | August 21, 2008 at 10:27 PM
just remember this mccain and palin say that we are winning, does anything else count? also george bush says that we are winning, ohhh, most repubs say that we are winning.nothing else matters, they control the war, whatever the atitude of the iraquis, well thats on us.
Posted by: ahamilton | October 31, 2008 at 02:41 PM