Iraq sets Jan 30 date for elections

[Cowperson]

The vote date has been set in Iraq as Jan. 30 and the pledge is to have it in all areas of the country.

The Iraqi voters will choose representatives for a 275-member national assembly, provincial councils and the national council for Kurdistan.

This is the group that will effectively govern the country with a democratic mandate until full blown national elections are held in December 2005.

There are 122 political parties deemed eligible to contest the election in January.

Obviously, the freedom fighters (sic) will try to have it cancelled via terror and intimidation. Will they be successful in forcing a cancellation or delay in the elections?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6544492/

Also, an account worth reading of the terror of urban combat for the young Marines assaulting Falluja via the New York Times (you may have to register):

NY Times

Lastly, the Washington Post with an article indicating malnutrition among children has skyrocketed in Iraq since the invasion. Is it a justified claim given peacniks were wailing UN sanctions were killing Iraqi children by the hundreds of thousands before the invasion:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6541101/

Cowperson

[Looger]

love the quote by hosni mubarak, president of egypt, a year or so ago, something close to:

'if there were elections across the middle east tomorrow, whom do the americans think will be elected, the democrats?'

societies need to go through a slow process of change, based on what their citizens perceive of their neighbours, and how much better their lives are, etc.

'US style democracy' will be harder to import to iraq than the 76 pinto.