53 Iraqi parties withdraw from elections

[carolinayellowdog]

which is more than half of the original 101; also all 30 independent candidates have withdrawn.

http://juancole.com/

[Bouncy Ball]

1. EHHH?

What in the heck does THAT mean? They know it's rigged, so why bother?

Or they know the elections won't happen? Or they won't be meaningful anyway, since most of the population won't be able to vote?

Confused.

[tanyev]

3. They value their life

more than running for office?

[0007]

2. So who's left? Negroponte and his death squad party?

"Al-Zaman reports that the large and powerful Dulaim tribe of Western Iraq has issued a statement condemning the killing by US troops of one of its chiefs, Shaikh Abd al-Razzaq Inad Mu'jal al-Ka'ud, last week, as well as the extensive destruction of life and property that has accompanied the US occupation in their areas. The Dulaim say that they want the United Nations to establish a fund to recompense them for their massive losses. They called for an immediate restoration of the pre-invasion Iraqi army and other security agencies. They complained that lack of security in Sunni Arab areas made voting out of the question, and said that anyway many parties were counterfeiting ballots. Of all the enemies you could have in Iraq, I would have advised the Americans not to make one of the Dulaim."

[opihimoimoi]

4. Bad News for the people pushing shit down the throats of the Iraqi

People.

That most of Iraq wants Freedom to choose their leaders, I will give, but not in the current manner.

As usual, the BushCo Fucks it up.

[clem_c_rock]

6. Exactly - we will someday see the bowels of hell for this

Faith in government = a good way to promote fascism.

[Pirate Smile]

5. Even BushCo is finally starting to downplay elections instead acting

like Iraq will be an Oasis of Democracy after January 30th.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5065-2005Jan12.html

"U.S. Lowers Expectations On Iraq Vote
Process Emphasized, Not Turnout or Results

With just over two weeks until the Iraqi elections, the United States is lowering its expectations for both the turnout and the results of the vote, increasingly emphasizing other steps over the next year as more important to Iraq's political transformation, according to U.S. officials.

The Bush administration played down voter turnout yesterday in determining the elections' legitimacy and urged Americans not to get bogged in a numbers game in judging the balloting, a reflection of the growing concern over how much the escalating insurgency and the problem of Sunni participation may affect the vote.

"I would . . . really encourage people not to focus on numbers, which in themselves don't have any meaning, but to look on the outcome and to look at the government that will be the product of these elections," a senior administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity at a White House briefing yesterday. The official highlighted the low voter turnout in U.S. elections as evidence that polling numbers are not essential to legitimacy.

-snip-
For months, the administration has promoted the elections as a major milestone in its efforts to bring democracy to Iraq and then the wider Middle East and Islamic world. But the continuing insurgency and the inability of U.S. forces to stabilize Iraq almost two years after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein has forced the administration to redefine the context, goals and role of this first vote.

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. He didn't have too much choice after Allawi

came out and said there were real problems with the imposing ...err... impending elections.

[tx_dem41]

8. Yep....more and more Sunnis pulling out, which leaves it wide open..

for the Shiites. Irony is wonderful. When will Iran and Iraq merge (in spirit if not in name)?