Iraq Heartens Lieberman
Most Of Country Stable, He Says
By ROBERT A. FRAHM
Courant Staff Writer
December 30, 2004
Despite pockets of continuing violence, Iraq is poised to hold elections next month that are part of a historic transformation of the Middle East, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman said Wednesday.
"There really is a vibrant political campaign taking place here," the Connecticut Democrat said at the conclusion of a week-long Middle East trip that included a stop in Baghdad.
Lieberman gave a generally upbeat report after visiting with political and military leaders in Iraq, where terrorists, including insurgents from the former regime of Saddam Hussein, have led a bloody effort to stop elections planned for Jan. 30.
But Lieberman said most of the violence has been confined to the troubled region known as the Sunni Triangle.
"In most of Iraq, there is real stability," he told reporters in a conference call from Tel Aviv. "I would expect a very significant turnout of voters."
(more)
http://fox61.trb.com/news/hc-lieberman1230.artdec30,0,6295937.story?coll=wtic-news-2