Iraqi elections

Can we really believe that the elections are a sign of US/UK success in Iraq???

If you cannot secure the basic needs of the population under one authority, isn't it naiive to expect reasonably fair elections?

BBC World service has already been reporting this week that more people voted than were actually registered, while reports from the North are that key minorities have been effectively disenfranchised, while larger groups around the country have been rigging ballots or intimidating opposition...

although there have been less irregularities reported than in the referendum... oh so that's okay then...

The Iraqi's themselves are reporting their satisfaction with the state of the country and the optimism of the elections and new government.

Thats reported here with backup sources.

But hey, what do they know? I am certain your non Iraqi, unfounded, and baseless observation (with no linked back up or sources) is more accurate than the results of 1700 Iraqi's poled.

You obviously know better than the Iraqi's.

Maybe you should travel to Iraq and let them know how they should really feel about the state of their country, clue them in so they know how to feel...

Originally posted by Qoelet
If you cannot secure the basic needs of the population under one authority, isn't it naiive to expect reasonably fair elections?

I've often wondered some of the same things. It's almost like giving a bandaid to a person who has been seriously wounded in an accident and then proclaiming "There! He's much better! He has a bandaid! Yay! He's nearly well."

While the fact that there are elections (of sorts) being held in Iraq, I doubt they're the indication of freedom and democracy that this administration would like people to think they are.

I'm also leery of the wider implications of Iraq's elections as regards the Middle East. Sure, individuals are happy to be voting. But when taking into account the effect that this whole war and its outcome has on the region, it really might not be that different than it was before we went in.

Iran wins big in Iraq's elections

As the trends became available regarding the Iraqi elections of last Thursday, what has emerged is that contrary to all pre-poll projections, the Shi'ite religious coalition, the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), not only held together, but also can be expected to dominate the new 275-member National Assembly for the next four years.

More importantly, the "secular" candidates who were believed to enjoy links with the US security agencies would seem to have been routed. Former premier Iyad Allawi's prospects of leading the new government seem virtually nil. And Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Accord suffered a shattering defeat.

The prognosis that Sunnis would flock to Allawi or that Shi'ite constituents were disillusioned with the "fundamentalist" UIA and would be drawn to Allawi's secular platform has also proved to be highly faulty.

It's one thing to ask an individual how he feels about voting and get a purple finger Sure. The people love the idea of having (at least the illusion of) some power in how their country is run. But there are bigger and more serious implications of this election process and our supposed installation of democracy and freedom in this country.

I think it's important to look at the big picture. I hope for the sake of the Iraqis that this is a good sign for them and the Middle East. But I do have my doubts. And I definitely think "An election does not a democracy make."

Edit: Seems some of the implications I'm talking about are being discussed here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...



[edit on 21-12-2005 by Benevolent Heretic]

Just reading my previous posts and thought this needed addressing as I forgot all about it...

Oh Skippy... nice poll, some great selective quoting from there... and an ABC poll at that! Aww silly me, I deserve your stupid 'oh are you an Iraqi??.. bechya ur not! What do yooooo know' comments...

My source was the BBC world service, which is available online and (at the time of the post) was broadcasting what I reported...

and the question I was really asking was a larger politicalphilosophy question that you just jumped up to answer... I think not...

Q

Originally posted by Qoelet
Can we really believe that the elections are a sign of US/UK success in Iraq???

The fact that the UN declared the elections fair and legitimate doesn’t mean anything to you? Doesn’t the fact that the Sunnis participated in these elections also show improvement? You seem to be saying that unless everything is perfect, there is no success.

[edit on 7-1-2006 by Dronetek]