Elections in Iraq

[Mike F]

A couple of hours in, and CNN is reporting one suicide bombing so far (with one dead), one attempted mortar attack (which missed the polling station and hit a house) and "light to non-existant" turnout in Baghdad.

Should be an interesting day; big for both Iraqis and Bush Co.

Any predictions on how many of the 14.2 million Iraqis registered to vote will turn out?

[Patek23]

Originally posted by Mike F@Jan 30 2005, 06:10 AM

Any predictions on how many of the 14.2 million Iraqis registered to vote will turn out?

Any where between 800,000 and 1,200,000 no way is there more of a show out. I wouldn't be shocked if only 100,000 voted either. Anything over 2 million would shock me.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Flaming Homer+Jan 30 2005, 06:18 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Flaming Homer @ Jan 30 2005, 06:18 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Mike F@Jan 30 2005, 06:10 AM

Any predictions on how many of the 14.2 million Iraqis registered to vote will turn out?

Any where between 800,000 and 1,200,000 no way is there more of a show out. I wouldn't be shocked if only 100,000 voted either. Anything over 2 million would shock me. [/b][/quote]
Prepare to be shocked then.

BBC News:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4219569.stm

A further update on the Calgary Herald site, a pool report crossing most media.

http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?...12-c3b625794bf1

And CNN with Britain's ITN contributing:

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01...main/index.html

Cowperson

[transplant99]

Originally posted by Flaming Homer+Jan 30 2005, 02:18 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Flaming Homer @ Jan 30 2005, 02:18 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Mike F@Jan 30 2005, 06:10 AM

Any predictions on how many of the 14.2 million Iraqis registered to vote will turn out?

Any where between 800,000 and 1,200,000 no way is there more of a show out. I wouldn't be shocked if only 100,000 voted either. Anything over 2 million would shock me. [/b][/quote]
Looks like the Iraqi citizenship has embraced the opportunity to have a say in who decides their collective fate....for the first time in their lives.

With a turnout somewhere in the 70% area, (at least as reported thus far) its pretty clear now, that the people have spoken. They want democracy...period.

Good for them.

[Cowperson]

We'll probably find the 70% number is overstated, probably settling in the 50% area and obviously under represented in the seriously intimidated/mad Sunni areas.

Still, it took a lot of guts to show up a polling booth in Iraq today. Regardless of which side of the debate you might be on, we can all acknowledge that.

This will be the first of three elections in the next 11 months and while there was violence, it appears to be far more muted than had been expected.

An interesting "mood" piece in USA Today, via the Associated Press which would pool coverage.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/20...aq-voters_x.htm

Also, Arab reactions:

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01...reax/index.html

Also, the first independent verification that turnout was higher than expected:

Carlos Valenzuela, the United Nations' chief election adviser in Iraq, told CNN that he believed that overall turnout was considerably "better than expected."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2005Jan30.html

Front page of the New York Times has a link to a photo gallery. One hilarious picture has a security guard IN a polling station waving an electronic metal detecting wand over a donkey pulling an old, crippled man. And a sobering picture of voters in line as blood runs in a gutter from casualties of a suicide attack.

You may have to register. Use the link: Photograpsh At the Polls on the mainpage.

http://www.nytimes.com//?oref=login

Cowperson

[Mike F]

Originally posted by Cowperson@Jan 30 2005, 07:35 AM
Still, it took a lot of guts to show up a polling booth in Iraq today. Regardless of which side of the debate you might be on, we can all acknowledge that.

It's apples and oranges, but you have a hard time getting Canadians to the polls and all we have to face are potential parking problems. Good for the Iraqis for turning out with these types of attitudes:

"Rumors of impending violence were rife. When an unexplained boom sounded near one Baghdad voting station, some women put their hands to their mouths and whispered prayers. Others continued walking calmly to the voting stations. Several shouted in unison: "We have no fear."

"Am I scared? Of course I'm not scared. This is my country," said 50-year-old Fathiya Mohammed, wearing a head-to-toe abaya cloak."

AP article

[InTheSlot]

Good for them. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.

[Patek23]

Good for the Iraqi's, I am pleasanlty suprised and If turnouts like this continue in the voting polls democracy looks like the way to go for Iraq.

[Cowperson]

Some blog links from Iraqi's which makes for some interesting surfing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6409077/

Iraqi's blog on BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle...log/default.stm

Cowperson

[Sammie]

You have to admire the Iraqi people for going out and voting in spite of threats to make the streets run with their blood. Especially when compared to over here in Canada where we're too scared to vote for a Conservative government because the corrupt Liberal government tells us the Conservatives are "scary".

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Well, I hope they are happy with who ever they "elect". I hope they are proven to be on the up and up and the Iraqi people finally get something they deserve.

Not wanting hijack this thread but, there was an incredible amount of military air traffic this past weekend in the Phoenix area. I spent all day Saturday and Sunday observing fighter, tanker and transport jets doing major training in the skys over the edges of the city. As well there were a huge number of helicopter test flights (not really surprising as Boeing manufactures the Apache in Mesa and flys out of Falcon Field). This was not something that was scheduled so I'm not sure what to make of it.

[Agamemnon]

I'm fairly unconvinced as to the ability of any force to impose a political system that has no indigenous roots. We've had 500 years to perfect Wester European democracy, and yet we think we can institute it in places where basically monarchy and dictatorships are the norms.

When power has come from the barrel of a gun for so long, its got to be really difficult to just 'tell' the people that it doesn't work that way, and in fact power comes from the legislature, judiciary, and executive.

I can see how that might not make sense to people who have little (no) experience with it.