Reality is sinking in....

...at least in Iraq.

Facing the prospect of a Shiite Muslim landslide, Sunni politicians offered on Saturday to participate in mapping the nation's political future. But Sunni rebels showed no sign of compromise, killing two U.S. soldiers and at least 33 Iraqis in a string of attacks.

Officials of the Shiite-led coalition that has rolled up a big lead in Sunday's elections said it wants the prime minister post in the upcoming government — casting doubt on chances that U.S.-backed Prime Minister Ayad Allawi can keep his job.

Now that the elections results are coming in, the Sunnis are realizing what was obvious all along — Sadaam's regime is over and the only hope they have of having any voice in the government is to cooperate and participate. This realization will slowly drive the Sunnis into the democracy camp and further marginalize the remaining Ba'athist elements, splintering the alliance of Ba'athists and Salafists.

It's only a matter of time, then, before it's no longer safe for the "insurgents" in Iraq and they move elsewhere. I suspect that the US will follow them.

On a side note, I've been seeing this recurring meme — "U.S.-backed Prime Minister Ayad Allawi" — as if somehow the US will be hurt or embarrassed if anyone else becomes Prime Minister of Iraq. The phrase betrays the ignorance of media bias. It was, after all, the US who insisted upon the elections. Can anyone seriously think that the US would not accept their outcome?

Wasn't the entire point of this that the Iraqis chose their leaders?