Small Irony of the Iraqi Vote
I couldn’t let this pass without some sort of comment. It’s been in the news that Iraqi expatriates will be able to vote in the upcoming Iraqi elections. One Iraqi expatriate living in D.C. can’t help seeing some irony in this.
Andy Shallal called it ironic that he can vote in Sunday’s elections in his homeland, while District of Columbia veterans of the Iraq war still cannot elect a voting representative to Congress.
“I was particularly moved to speak up when I heard the three soldiers from this city step forward and ask the Congress for the same voting rights here that their service will bring to Iraqis Jan. 30,” Shallal said. D.C. Iraq war veteran Emory Kosh hugged Shallal as they thanked each other.
Shallal joined Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (website - news - bio) , D-D.C., and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, DConn., to introduce a bill aimed at giving District residents full voting rights.
It’s a good fight, and I’m glad they’re fighting it, but there’s not a snowballs chance in hell that Republicans will support anything that would most likely mean another Democratic vote in the House or the Senate. (The District is heavily Democratic.) It ain’t never gonna happen.