Yet another milestone in the new Democratic Iraq. Only one day after Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari submitted his pick for an Iraqi cabinet, Iraq’s parliament has ratified the picks.

Lawmakers earlier said the Cabinet would include 17 Shiite Arab ministers, eight Kurds, six Sunnis and a Christian. Among them were six women, responsible for seven portfolios, according to Thursday’s announcement.

President Jalal Talabani and his two vice presidents signed off on the list before Thursday’s historic vote.

Shiites make up 60 percent of Iraq’s 26 million people. The Kurds make up 20 percent, and the Sunni Arabs, who largely stayed away from the elections either in boycott or for fear of attacks, are roughly 15 percent to 20 percent.

There are still two parliament positions to be filled and if these positions are filled as representative of the Iraqi population like the other 32 postions were, expect the later two to be Shiites. Regardless of whether or not al-Jaafari submitted his picks due to pressure from the United States to finally do so to help curb the insurgency, this is a historic day for Iraqis and Democratic-loving people accross the Middle East.