Iraq's First General Election Coverage!

[Blitz]

Well, since no one is posting it, I might as well. The election is going on today/tomorrow in Iraq. Let's hope the terrorists aren't being liberal like Myst and anally raping people.

GO ELECTIONS! GO BUSH! BOO LIBERALS!

Blitz

[BTs_Mysterio]

Vote for candidate #23230920302392003920 

[*DAMN Bondo]

It will be a testament to the Iraqi people, not Bush, if things go well. And if it goes poorly it will be a testament to Bush, and not the Iraqi people.

I hope it does go very well and things get better in Iraq, I wish more that we had a competent administration that had done the planning better from the get go.

["Sixhits"]

It seems that the election has gone fantastically.

Now it is time to see whether the mulitple groups can hash out a government. As well as whether the insurgents have truly been cowed or they are simply doing what they have done before: made a lot of noise, distracted our forces, lulled us into a false sense of safety and then attacked again when we least excepted it. For example, I imagine it will be much easier for them to strike at elected officials whos names are public than numbers on paper.

A triumph for an occupied people. Despite our boots on their throats and civil war inches away they brave adversity for freedom. Thomas Jefferson's light still shines.

And here's a fact: If this election does result in a functional government then our GIs should start coming home immeadiately. Wouldn't it be timely to declare victory and get the hell home?

Oh, I keep forgetting! Iran's next. And we need ground bases in Iraq and Iraqi military forces to stick it to them. And a draft.

[BTs_Mysterio]

If you believe they could support and protect themselves right now, you are delusional sixhits. The election was held now so Bush could say it was a success in the state of the union. The insurgents didn't waste resources on their own people, they probably plan to take out the winners as soon as the are declared so.

[Blitz]

Well, here is what I heard this morning on my may to work. There was/is a 70% turn-out for the election. 8 suicide bombings, and about 30 deaths.  So to me, it is a success.

Sixhits, I agree with Mysterio. There won't be a draft, and probably will never be a draft. Remember, we have the world's largest volunteer military.

And to start pulling military personnel out now would be suicide on our part and the part of democracy.  Yes a lot of people hate us, but who cares. Winning the war was the first step to victory, and the election is the second step, now we much have the third step, security.  When Afghanistan was "liberated" it took a few months to get it going, and we are inthe proccess of the third step there.  Besides, the US government, and NATO are actually not to base false intelligent reports about Iran.

Blitz

[c| Spetsnaz.]

Another BS puppet election, much like the British occupation of 1920.

Prediction: Allawi 'selected' has head puppet. Like in 1920 the newly 'selected' government will face coup after coup, until once again extremist elements seize control, like the Baathists of 1956, thus giving rise to a Saddam like U.S. backed authoritarian regime. Control will be enforced by 'death squads' similar to the U.S. backed Columbian autodefensas, which were CiA and special forces paramilitary units trained in counterinsurgency techniques, including sabotage and terror.

PS. Where can I get the naivete inducing hallucinogenic drugs you're on Blitz?

["Sixhits"]

Well, here is what I heard this morning on my may to work. There was/is a 70% turn-out for the election. 8 suicide bombings, and about 30 deaths.  So to me, it is a success.

Sixhits, I agree with Mysterio. There won't be a draft, and probably will never be a draft. Remember, we have the world's largest volunteer military.

And to start pulling military personnel out now would be suicide on our part and the part of democracy.  Yes a lot of people hate us, but who cares. Winning the war was the first step to victory, and the election is the second step, now we much have the third step, security.  When Afghanistan was "liberated" it took a few months to get it going, and we are inthe proccess of the third step there.  Besides, the US government, and NATO are actually not to base false intelligent reports about Iran.

Blitz

Question: Why did we go into Iraq?
Current Answer: To bring Democracy.
Question: Have we "brought Democracy"?
Answer: According to Bush, yes
[url]http://nytimes.com/2005/01/30/international/middleeast/30cnd-reac.html?hp&ex=1107147600&en=6de41a34c6b98180&ei=5094&partner=homepage/[url]
Question: What futher official goals remain?
Answer: None
Question: Why should our troops continue to occupy a sovereign democracy?
Answer: There is no valid reason

[BTs_Mysterio]

Sixhits, besides you royally fucked up their country. A BS election doesn't make insurgents stop.

["Sixhits"]

Sixhits, besides you royally fucked up their country. A BS election doesn't make insurgents stop.

Sure doesn't. But in the magic land of Bush it's all succes all the time. Figure might as well pull one back for our troops, who have no business being there.

[cO.Kuza]

guys c'mon, we invaded them to freethem, look how happy they are now! running in the streets and partying.

[BTs_Mysterio]

No Kuza. You invaded to get the "WMD"...er.....oil?....errrr......hmmm....At this stage I am getting confused.

[BFG]

So folk think everything is going to be hunky dory now eh?

• So the Allies can pull out and return home their work done and Iraq a free country ... Um are we taking the weapons of mass destruction with us?  Will the big american Oil companies working on getting that lovely Oil to America be leaving too?

• People think that because there has been a election suddenly the suicide bombing will stop?

• What exactly do people think is going to happen when suddenly everybody pulls out and there is a massive security vacuum?

And mean while Israel is quietly building its wall in breach of the UN, and it continues to oppress palestinians and steal land from farmers etc - without any compensation, without any knowledge until the bulldozers move in... Making lots of nice space for some new israeli settlements.

[BTs_Mysterio]

 
^^^^^^^^^
To BFG on ALL points.

[*DAMN Bondo]

The Iraq War was not for oil Myst...simply buying the oil would be cheaper than the war. The war was about influence. If we get Iraq to work out we have influence in the Middle East and a bit of a tip of the hat to China and Russia.

[BTs_Mysterio]

....but what will Iran be about? (publicly)

[BFG]

Well i expect suddenly the world will be in great danger from Iran and that it will be the Mission of the US to go on another Crusade to fight the evil iranians and save the world. A College student will loose his/her homework on WMD's and it will suddenly appear in the brief cases of top politicians from the US and knowing Fuck brains Blair, in the UK to.

Bush will suddenly find that there are strong links between Al-Quieda and Iran and that as part of the war against terror we must free the poor iranians and liberate the country.

Hundreds of thousands of people will be murdered in the following war and the rest of the world will despise the actions of America even more, 51% of Americans will contiue to brainwash themselves that they are however right and are vastly superior to the rest of the world and can do what the hell they like because it dosn't affect their every day lives.

The middle east conflicts will flare up. Terrorist networks will be flooded with people wanting to retaliate against America for its actions. And the spiral of Death will continue

And then the world will blow up. And everyone will be fucked.

The end.

[Abe 2.0]

As always the bleeding heart bolshevik eurowussies (no flame intended, BFG) feel obliged to drag the Israeli-Palestinian issue into the discussion.....sigh.
The security wall/fence/barrier has been the most effective measure against suicide bombings. Before it was built, the IDF attempted to preempt suicide bombings through massive incursions with armored units into the palestinian areas. I think the wall is a better way of stopping suicide bombers, for both sides...In case you havent noticed there has been a significant decrease in these sort of attacks and the few that have occured came in areas where the barrier consist of motion sensors and fences (in the negev) or where the bombers found other ways of getting in (like using british passports). So for all the suffering the wall has caused the Palestinians, its probably the only reason Hamas and Jihad cant get bombers into Israel today and why the IDF doesnt mount massive operations in West Bank anymore, in which dozens of palestinians (armed and unarmed) get killed. In the absense of any significant political progress (which seems to be on its way), the barrier is the best way of preventing deaths on both sides. I dont think including many of the west bank settlements is a good idea myself, but you have to realize that the barrier has been very effective so far.

As for the Iraqi elections, this is the first step to getting the US and coalition troops out of iraq. If the new iraqi government asks them to leave, they will have to go. Until the iraqi security forces are fully trained and capable of handling the situation themselves, this would be suicide however, so it wont be happening soon. What I find depressing is that it is taking excruciatingly long to train and equip the iraqis. I think it's painfully clear that the americans want to get out of iraq ASAP, but not if it means leaving the country in a more dangerous state than it was two years ago.

["Sixhits"]

Posted without comment:

U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote :
Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror


by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times (9/4/1967: p. 2)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.

According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots yesterday.  Many of them risked reprisals threatened by the Vietcong.

The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete returns reaching here.

[*DAMN Bondo]

Abe, the Israeli-Palestinian issue is perhaps the most central in the whole War on Terrorism. It is to a large degree the root of animosity.

I happen to think the Israelis should be able to build all the walls they want...ON THEIR LAND. The problem I have is that the Israelis are building the wall into Palestinian territory and basically landgrabbing...that is not acceptable.

Sal, even if the council that was elected in Iraq isn't some incredibly democratic institution, they still had an election (and were excited by it) and the terrorists failed to intimidate or cause much chaos. Regardless of the political implications, this was a major defeat of the insurgents.