Iraq Elections..

[Riptide]

I don't think delaying the voting is a good idea. The security situation is, IMO, not going to get any better so delaying it probably won't help much. Might as well push forward and hope for the best.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/20/iraq.main/index.html
Insurgent attacks in Iraq have prompted calls from many Iraqis to delay the voting.

But Iraq's interim government and the United States appeared determined to leave the date unchanged, seeing it as a key test and a critical opportunity to build international legitimacy.

I wonder if things will get better, and if so how quickly, assuming the election goes off reasonably well.

[vampireuk]

I recall reading that some idiot in politics in Iran accused the US of the bombings in Iraq as a means to stop people voting. Yes the US spent billions freeing Iraq from a dictator to fix elections!

[Sazar]

I don't think delaying the voting is a good idea. The security situation is, IMO, not going to get any better so delaying it probably won't help much. Might as well push forward and hope for the best.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/20/iraq.main/index.html


I wonder if things will get better, and if so how quickly, assuming the election goes off reasonably well.

staggering the vote as has been proposed may be one interim solution..

whether elections will indeed change anything remains to be seen because there is still the kurdish situation...

if things go in a manner they are unhappy with (given their proportionally smaller populace) it is likely they will declare their intentions for an independent state... something turkey and others will not stand for...

regarding whether the election itself will improve things... it was supposed to improve when we invaded... it was supposed to improve when bush declared the end of major combat (aka mission accomplished)... it was supposed to improve when an interim government was established... it was supposed to improve when sovereignty was handed over... it was supposed to improve after militant strong-holds were dealt blows...

its likely better to wait and see what happens before suggesting it might be a better situation after the elections, in whatever manner they are held...

whether it is prudent to push forward with a static date in the face of strife is open to interpretation... personally I would rather see a portion of those efforts applied to aid in curbing the violence and the iraqi forces bolstered to larger numbers to fend off the insurgents...

[Riptide]

Only time will tell if this experiment in democracy over there is going to bear fruit. I have to say I'm having my doubts but we'll just have to see what happens. The Iraqi population seems rather split amongst various groups that mistrust each other to the point that they may not be able to work together. If so, they are their own worst enemy.

I do not blame the US if democracy fails there. When it comes right down to it, it's like anything else (losing weight, doing good in school, etc.): you have to want it bad enough if it's going to be a reality.

[Sazar]

naturally not all the blame canbe levelled on one party in this situation... its a lot like the palestinian situation... not all the blame lies with one or the other party...

but certainly a fair portion of it will lie with the planning and execution of the policy in the region...

[sytaylor]

We're in pre-election fever right now, those who oppose elections are throwing all they have at de-railing the process. It was bound to be toasty at around this time, I don't think anyone expected any less tbh.

[vampireuk]

I think the majority of Iraqi people have made it clear that they want democratic elections, which the terrorist minority cannot stand. They hate the thought of people been able to chose who is in charge and live their lives how they want instead of been told what to do.

Also I bet if one of the terrorist leaders was in the election they would suddenly insist every Iraqi voted, twice.

[Sazar]

We're in pre-election fever right now, those who oppose elections are throwing all they have at de-railing the process. It was bound to be toasty at around this time, I don't think anyone expected any less tbh.

elections are nigh... I think its obvious that the iraqi people have had their voting rights repressed for so long that they want to vote..

but having a forced schedule for the vote certainly does not seem pragmatic...

bush does not have his own elections to worry about now, I would think he would consider delaying the actual vote to allow for the proper apparatus to be installed to carry out a fair and balanced (take that fox news) process...

there will always be the insurgents who want to de-rail the process...

i am still interested in how the kurds will react to the elections if things don't go quite the way they want... will they seek autonomy (an excellent compromise given their status and state of development) or will they seek independence?