Iraq Shiite bloc 'claims victory'

[ECH1969]

"The United Iraqi Alliance scored a sweeping victory. We know that the majority of those who voted cast their vote for the alliance," Abdul Aziz al-Hakim said. Hakim tops the candidate list of the Alliance, drawn up with the blessing of revered Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

He also leads the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, one of the main parties in the powerful Alliance.

Iraq's 60 per cent Shiite majority thronged to the polls on Sunday, but many of the Sunni minority, which dominated Iraq under deposed dictator Saddam Hussein, stayed away.

Hakim said Iraq's next government might discuss whether to tell foreign troops to leave. Washington has said it will pull out its forces if Baghdad asks it to, but says such a request is unlikely. Many mainstream Iraqi politicians say it is far too soon to talk about a troop withdrawal.

Hakim said it was too soon to speculate who the next prime minister would be. The incumbent, Iyad Allawi, a secular Shiite, is seen as a leading candidate, along with Finance Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, a member of Hakim's party.

http://tinylink.com/?Zt33VHRjg9

[merwin]

1. And the fighting begins

Or continues, rather

[cthrumatrix]

2. the Shiite pushed for elections "initially"....not Bush

[hector459]

3. More specifically, al-Sistani pushed for one-man, one-vote as opposed

to the Bush administration's desires for some sort of system along the lines of our electoral college.

[grumpy old fart]

4. They have thier "mandate" now to begin the civil war.....

ah, sweet victory...

[VegasWolf]

5. Allawi a leading candidate. The american puppets retain control. No

real push for american troops to leave. What a farce
bush has pulled ont the world.