Saturday’s Surge

A few years ago, Dr. Rafe al-Eissawi was an orthopedic surgeon in the embattled city of Fallujah—sometimes mediating with Americans, sometimes angering them with his public casualty reports. Backed by Anbar tribes and in the Sunni parliamentary block that is seeking to win a bigger role in the Shiite-led government, he became one of the technocrats in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's cabinet and then one of two deputy prime ministers. Now he wins praise from Americans and Iraqis for his efforts to rebuild the country's infrastructure and attract investment.

Unlike most other top-ranking Iraqis who returned in 2003 from exile, Eissawi, 43, stayed in Iraq during Saddam Hussein's tyranny. He now heads a small party hoping to score wins Saturday in the first election expected to see widespread participation from Sunnis, who largely boycotted the local voting in 2005. He spoke to NEWSWEEK's Larry Kaplow in his Green Zone office. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: What makes the provincial elections Saturday important compared to other elections we've seen?
Rafe al-Eissawi: First, the type of participation. In the last elections some people participated and others boycotted. Now the trend, the attitude of the people is to participate nationwide. So we expect across the country to see better participation, and that means better representation of members in the provincial councils. Second, people have had a good opportunity to see the types of politicians they've had in the last two years. They have a good period just to judge whether they are competent enough or not and see the possibility to implement their promises.

And this time they can vote for individual candidates, not just party lists?
The open lists will give an excellent opportunity [but] there is a problem in the procedure. We have a high number of people who are [illiterate]. It may be difficult for them to select the name inside the list.

Are you concerned that, since some people will lose the election, we will see violence later?
I don't think that there will be violence because security has improved and there is better education among the people about the premature democracy in Iraq. You know, we are talking about a new model for Iraq. Still, there definitely will be change. Here in Baghdad, in mixed [Sunni-Shiite] areas, maybe in Al-Anbar province, Nineveh, Diyala, Basra, some other places.

You recently met Vice President Joseph Biden when he came to Iraq. What did you get from your meeting with him?
America is committed to help Iraq, and America is committed to implement the SOFA [Status of Forces] agreement regarding the [2011] withdrawal. At the same time this withdrawal doesn't mean that America will leave Iraq to its fate. We, everyone, feel the necessity of the strategic relationship between America and Iraq, and we hope, both of us, things will improve on the ground to allow for exact implementation.

You weren't worried that Biden previously proposed that Iraq become a loose federation of three ethnic enclaves?
I think he expressed that when the sectarian violence was at a peak. Now the situation on the ground is different and the solutions should also be different.