The Bush administration is beginning to tout Iraq as a democratic success story. The “surge” has quieted the fighting and the economy is slowly getting back to normal. That is all true. Iraq is far from a success, however. The Iraqis continue to squabble over the most basic details of democracy. When the U.S. finally leaves, and the squabbling continues, an insurgency or military strongman will reemerge as the only alternative — unless the Iraqis stop fiddling their precious opportunity away.

A provincial vote was originally scheduled for October 1 of this year. That election is dead until at least December. Unless the members of Iraqi parliament suddenly learn how to screw their collective heads on straight, this bickering will continue as a stalemate. Somehow, they need to learn the art of politics.

The squabble now is in Kirkuk. Kurds want to make it part of the new Kurdistan. However, Saddam Hussein encouraged the “Arabization” of the city. Arabs and Turkmen now make up a significant portion as the Kurdish population has dwindled. Without a decision on Kirkuk, the elections are stalled.

Time is running out for a functioning democracy. It takes years to perfect one. All will eventually depend on the Iraqis, and the Iraqi government only seems competent at fighting itself.