The break-through on the constitution is the most exciting and promising development in Iraq since January 30. In a way, it finally represents the fruit of the elections we’ve been waiting for–the Sunnis (or at least part of their leadership) getting on board the political process. Bing West is quoted yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle saying, “There will be no political epiphany….We are pinning too much hope on politics to end this war. It won’t. Brute force will end this war.” It was understandable to say that yesterday, but this deal just might be a political epiphany. And we should pray that it is, because it is very difficult (impossible?) to beat insurgencies with sheer brute force. We need the Sunni popular support or even tolerance for the insurgency to erode, and a true national compact will be a big step in that direction. Zalmay Khalilzad understands that and has been absolutely dogged in pursuing a deal. If this deal holds–everything in Iraq always requires an emphatic “if”–and has the effects we hope, he will be a Bush official who actually deserves a presidential medal of freedom. Of course, there will be many roadblocks ahead, but we are heading in the right direction. The next step will be, as Fareed Zakaria argues in a spot-on Newsweek column, engaging the fringes of the insurgency to try to separate the semi-rational Sunnis from the absolutely nuts Zarqawi. If that happens, Zarqawi will be isolated and there will be no way for him to win, because as even Ayman al-Zawahiri realizes, he has no coherent political strategy, and it is ultimately on their political appeal or lack of it that insurgencies stand or fall (see Mao). But this means we need not just steadfastness in Iraq, but also negotiations and compromise. Fortunately, we have a man on the ground there who realizes this, and evidently knows how to get it done.