Iraqi Elections

[jerseydevil]

Well the Iraqi elections are going on now. I was going to post this yesterday since that is whent he first people were allowed to vote.

It'll be interesting to see what happens. I was talking to my brother yesterday - he was in afganistan patrolling for their elections and we discussed the iraqi elections. He said the Afganistan elections were a cake walk - but we both agree that that probably won't be the case with the iraqi elections. A lot of secirty seems to be in place - but they can' protect people coming and going from their houses to vote.

We seem to be closing in on Zarquawi, we captured three high ranking associates of his two weeks ago - it was just announced.

I think whatever happens tomorrow - this election will give most of iraq a feeling of ownership in the government - something they have never had and something the terrorists don't want them to have.

[Nurvingiel]

I agree, and I really hope this goes well. This has such huge potential for stability in Iraq in the future.

Why would these elections be harder than the Afghanistan ones? Some people were attacked by extremists while trying to register to vote. Why would Iraq be worse?

*cheers for Iraqis*

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Why would these elections be harder than the Afghanistan ones? Some people were attacked by extremists while trying to register to vote. Why would Iraq be worse?

There were no bombings or anything during the election in Afganistan. The terrorists are much stronger in Iraq right now than they were in afganistan. Zwarqawi has declared war on democracy and the election itself. Suchas this...

Election-related intimidation

Insurgents distributed leaflets in two Baghdad neighborhoods Friday threatening those who might participate in the elections.

"This is to everyone who wants to stand in the queues of elections, the queues of doom and death," said the leaflets distributed near shops, markets and homes in the al-Banook and al-Shaab neighborhoods. No particular group signed the leaflets.

Insurgents have been targeting police stations and polling centers and threatening candidates. At least 14 people died in pre-election violence on Friday alone.

An Iraqi soldier died and another was wounded when insurgents launched a mortar attack on Iraqi National Guard barracks in As-Suwayrah, multi-national forces officials said. As-Suwayrah is about 50 km (31 miles) southwest of Baghdad.

Hours before, four Iraqi police officers were wounded in insurgent attacks on a police checkpoint and a polling center in western Baghdad.

Two suicide car bombs also exploded near a Baghdad police station, killing four people, and a bomb severely damaged a building in Mosul that was to be used as an election center.

Two hospital employees in Mosul were shot and critically wounded on Friday. They were carrying IDs that allowed them to operate during a ban on vehicle traffic near polling sites, imposed as a security measure for the election.

Makeshift bombs also killed four U.S. soldiers in separate attacks in southern and western Baghdad, and gunfire killed a fifth soldier in northern Baghdad, the military said.

This was NOT the situtation in Afganistan.

[Embladyne]

I think that a feeling of ownership is important in keeping a government stable. If the people feel that their government is run in a way that actually includes their concerns then they are less likely to sympathyze with people wanting to overthrow it, and instead are more likely to work for reform.
Right now, I feel no ownership of the U.S. government. But, I'm trying to figure out how to work for reform of that.

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Embladyne

Right now, I feel no ownership of the U.S. government. But, I'm trying to figure out how to work for reform of that.

Okay That's sort of funny actually.

[ItalianLegolas]

Hopefully, but not probably, the electoions will go off without a hitch, but what happens if a radical Shiite(sp) gets elected democratically? that would be a problem....

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by ItalianLegolas

Hopefully, but not probably, the electoions will go off without a hitch, but what happens if a radical Shiite(sp) gets elected democratically? that would be a problem....

That doesn't seem to be the general mood in Iraq. They want to remain secular - and not controleld by religion. Even the hightest sheik is preaching about a secular government.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

That doesn't seem to be the general mood in Iraq. They want to remain secular - and not controleld by religion. Even the hightest sheik is preaching about a secular government.

Ironic really if you think about what just happened here...

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

Originally Posted by ItalianLegolas

Hopefully, but not probably, the electoions will go off without a hitch, but what happens if a radical Shiite(sp) gets elected democratically? that would be a problem....

well, bush will probably declare it an extremist, terrorist supporting, rogue nation, like he did the last one, and remove it, but he still wont find any WMD

i'm just waiting to see if iraq really does get an elected gov't, or if somehow (amazingly) an extremely pro-usa gov't gets put in power, if certain parties can do it in america, they can most likely (and have before) do it on other soil

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

well, bush will probably declare it an extremist, terrorist supporting, rogue nation, like he did the last one, and remove it, but he still wont find any WMD

i'm just waiting to see if iraq really does get an elected gov't, or if somehow (amazingly) an extremely pro-usa gov't gets put in power, if certain parties can do it in america, they can most likely (and have before) do it on other soil

What the HELL are you talking about here? I love the little ignorant snipes at our election. Sorry - Bush was reelected by the people of the US - get over it already.

As for your little comment regarding the Iraqi government being a puppet state of the US. For your information - the person we supported in the interum government didn't get elected. Alwari was not the one the US supported - but we accepted the internum government's choice.

I love the ignorant conspiracy theories. We should have let Europe fall to communism and to Naziism - it would have done you guys some good. Then maybe you wouldn't be such ignorant assholes to us now. Talk about ingrates.

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by Embladyne

Right now, I feel no ownership of the U.S. government. But, I'm trying to figure out how to work for reform of that.

I expect that you do feel more ownership then you think. Would you feel exactly as powerless if we had a dictatorship?

[Insidious Rex]

so can the winner of this election tell the US to get out? or is this just an election to elect "founding fathers" who will set up the constitution only?

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Insidious Rex

so can the winner of this election tell the US to get out?

They can tell us to get out - they've basically have had the power to tell us to get out - however - they want us there. I know you don't believe that - but they know they are not ready to take on the security themselves.

or is this just an election to elect "founding fathers" who will set up the constitution only?

It is also to set up the Constitution and then new elections will be held next year.

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

It is also to set up the Constitution and then new elections will be held next year.

Hopefully by then the insurgency will have taken a heavy enough beating that more parties will be able to safely involve themselves in the election process.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

They can tell us to get out - they've basically have had the power to tell us to get out - however - they want us there. I know you don't believe that

oh hey hey wait a moment... there you go assuming stuff again. I beleive I simply asked WHAT IF who ever is voted into power tells us to get out. Not anything about the Iraqis to a person dont want us there. You can back off putting words in my mouth now.

And my point was what if they DO tell us to get out and then their country turns into another breeding ground for terrorist. What would have been the point of all this?