The Sunni minority was seemingly dismissed when negotiators decided to put the Iraqi draft constitution to a public vote.

Unless steps are taken to include the Sunnis, it could create trouble for Iraq.

If the draft constitution is defeated - a likely prospect since the Sunni minority has the power to veto the document - the interim government would be dissolved. New elections would take place for a new interim government, who would then write a new draft constitution to be submitted to a new referendum.

Essentially, this would significantly set back the rebuilding of Iraq and the withdrawal of U.S. forces occupying the country. It would also add fuel to an insurgency fire that's already blazing.

An open forum needs to be created to solve the problems the Sunnis have with the draft constitution. For democracy to flourish, Iraq's new leaders need to utilize their most essential tools - compromising with and inclusion of the minority.

After two months of talk, the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have thus far been divided on issues such as the role of federalism in the new government, how to divide Iraq's oil and the role of Islam in the new nation.

The Shiite and Kurd alliance needs to come to terms with these difficulties. They need to compromise with the minority Sunnis and create a constitution that will unite the country, rather than weaken already loose bonds between the groups.

It will require patience and a will to overcome difficulties to unite Iraq.

Whether this results in a constitution that resembles American notions of democracy doesn't matter. What matters is the constitution that passes represents the wishes of all Iraqis.