WP-Iraqi Protesters Demand Polls Ahead of U.N. Meeting

[maddezmom]

Iraqi Protesters Demand Polls Ahead of U.N. Meeting



Reuters
Monday, January 19, 2004; 3:31 AM



By Fiona O'Brien

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of Iraqis marched through Baghdad Monday demanding elections to choose a sovereign government, ahead of talks later in the day at the United Nations on the country's political future.

Iraq's U.S. governor Paul Bremer and members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council were due to meet U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the transfer of sovereignty. Washington hopes to persuade the United Nations to play a role in the hope this will help win over Iraqis.

Bremer and the Governing Council are likely to press Annan to send a team of experts to Iraq help convince supporters of Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, that his call for direct general elections is not feasible now.

Annan has said safety conditions in Iraq were too dangerous since he ordered out international staff in October, following attacks on U.N. offices and humanitarian groups in Baghdad.
~snip~

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28591-2004Jan19?language=printer


Just saw the crowds on CNNI, they are reporting around 100,000 Iraqi's are protesting.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Using the UN as a tool for the US will not do for Iraqis

Iraqis hate the UN. The Iraqi people bore the brunt of UN sanctions for over 10 years. These sanctions would have been lifted years before had it not been for American pressure on the UN. Iraqis are also resentful that the UN did not condemn the "no-fly" zones, which were never sanctioned by the Security Council. Iraqis knew, as we now know, that the "no fly" zones were a pretext to bomb strategic targets in Iraq to soften the country's defenses for an American invasion.

Portions of the PNAC agenda were already in play before the PNAC document was written.

[lcordero]

4. the current admin is mentally deficient

UN sanctions = siege = a form of war

The UN has had an ongoing war with Iraq for over ten years. Iraqis know this.

[La_Serpiente]

2. from the article

Washington's efforts to broaden international participation were expected to bear more fruit on Monday when Japanese troops cross from Kuwait into Iraq. A team of 35 soldiers will pave the way for a total force of up to 1,000 destined for what Japanese officials say will be a non-combat role.

Their dispatch marks a historic shift away from Japan's purely defensive post-war security policy and poses a political risk for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, whose government could be rocked if there are casualties.

and from Japan

Majority against sending SDF to Iraq: poll

TOKYO — A majority of Japanese are against dispatching the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to Iraq and almost nine in 10 believe Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has responsibility for any casualties that may occur, according to the results of a Kyodo News telephone poll.

Meanwhile, support for the Koizumi cabinet rose to 52.5%, up 8.7 percentage points from the previous survey in December. The disapproval rate dropped by 4.5 points to 39.9%, falling below the approval rate for the first time in two months. (Kyodo News)

I don't know how long Japan can stay in Iraq. The public is vehemently against sending troops to Iraq.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=285429

[IndianaGreen]

3. Here is a great picture... winning hearts and minds