In early winter, Iraqis will vote in regional elections in the country's 14 Arab-majority provinces (the Kurds are ahead of the cycle - as they are in most things). Only the tricky status of Kirkuk must still be resolved.

Despite legions of international nay-sayers, democracy worked. After posturing for their own party bases, Iraqi politicians compromised on critically important issues. The result is the most enlightened electoral blueprint between Israel and India.

More remains to be done to ensure a voice for Iraq's smallest minorities, but, in a country where the political bad blood is real blood - generations of it - this law marks progress worthy of global applause.