Iraqi election wasnt for the Iraqis it was for us

[cap]

this was a media event designed to shut criticism of Bush down so no one can criticize his handling of the war. Give him a mandate before the state of the union so he push SS reform ....

Nothin' to do with the Iraqis.

[eallen]

1. Actually, the Iraqi elections were a direct result of Al Sistani's group.

Bush's first plan for the Iraqi government was to put Chalabi and company in charge. His second plan was to have Bremmer lead an interim government for a few years. Al Sistani and the Shi'ites demonstrated and pushed for elections. They wanted the elections in May. Bush knew he couldn't have the Shi'ites revolting, so he acceded to elections, but pushed them off to January.

Saying these elections "had nothing to do with Iraqis" really insults an organic political process that is occurring there. Don't let your hate for Bush -- which I share! -- blinker yourself to what else is happening.

[independentchristian]

2. Bingo!

Of course the corporate owned media in this country will not point that out.

The "neocons" did not want the type of elections that they got on Sunday. They wanted to appoint people and then appoint a handpicked group to confirm the people that they appointed, to install the "puppet government" that they wanted. Al Sistani resisted, and demanded direct elections, and then he told the Shi'ites that it was their "religious duty to vote", and that's why the turnout was so high.

They weren't out because they just thirsted for freedom, they were out because Grand Ayatollah Sistani told them that it was their religious duty to vote. And the reason that he told them that was because he demanded direct elections, and got them.

The Bush administration is trying to milk these elections for everything that they can, and the bought and sold media in this country is playing it up, although the neocons tried everything that they could to set up a different system than "direct elections." If the elections were really fair, and anyone who wanted to run, ran, that's not good for the neocons because they could end up with a government of the people in Iraq that is just as anti-West as Hussein was, although I'd still bet that they had some say in who could or could not run.

[cthrumatrix]

4. the Shiite pushed for elections...Demoracy Now was taling about this

bush had no choice

[independentchristian]

3. I can't disagree with that statement either - nm