Article

2004-01-20 Iraq

UN expected to intervene in Iraqi poll row

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Posted by Steve 2004-01-20 2:31:38 PM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hey - I hear Al Gore has some experience with elections - send him!

Honestly we need time to teach the Iraqis what an election is about and how it works in specifics. How a cacus(sp?) works and why it is better then a simple election poll. Remember that most of these people dont have a clue what it means to participate in the decision making process and that they have a right and obligation to think for themselves (something americans need to be reminded of sometimes...).

Then we need to develop a election process in which the ballot is truly 'secret' and educate the people about how secret it is -- that even thou such-and-such a party may imtimidate and threaten eveyone who does not vote their way they can't actually do anything since the ballot is secret.

Also teach them to lie to exit polls.

Posted by CrazyFool 2004-1-20 3:17:33 PM|| 2004-1-20 3:17:33 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 The key statement is "...if the UN sent a mission, its findings would be accepted by Sistani". This is about saving Arab 'face'. Mr Sistani is in a win-win position here.

Posted by ltcedk 2004-1-20 3:22:32 PM|| 2004-1-20 3:22:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 You know what? If these Shiite dumbasses think they can handle the big task of governing, I say let them. Keep ample forces stationed in Kurdistan and Kuwait so that when the eventual tribal feuding begins, the violence is kept contained within their territory. In the meantime, we take care of the rest of Iraq and set it up properly. Oh, and one more thing - if Iran's mullahs don't keep their hands off, there will be a very expensive price to pay.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-20 4:59:44 PM|| 2004-1-20 4:59:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 I am torn on this one. Our Constitution could not have been written in any fashion other than by caucus because of the central big state/versus little state controversy. Unfortunately, I am not sure that Arabs are capable of engaging in compromise. Tarek Heggy has this insight.

Posted by Super Hose 2004-1-20 6:00:08 PM|| 2004-1-20 6:00:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Iraq is coming out of fourty years of Kleptocracy. Theocracy is not going to be step up. One way to get them to drop this whole idea for now is to take their Mullahs to California and show them just what "direct democracy" can do to a thriving ecenomy, much less one in the tiolet. At this point the best anybody could hope for is some sort of representational republic. Which would be a lot more than how many UN member states?

Posted by Cheddarhead 2004-1-20 6:00:39 PM|| 2004-1-20 6:00:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Partition.

Sistani wants mob rule (democracy vs. republic) because he rules the mob.

Partition.

Posted by .com 2004-1-20 9:30:19 PM|| 2004-1-20 9:30:19 PM|| Front Page Top

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