Bombs, protests as Iraq election mood sour

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L25506712.htm

BAGHDAD, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Bombs struck Iraqi police and army patrols and destroyed an American tank in Baghdad on Sunday as fresh street protests over election results kept up tension that has soured the mood after a peaceful ballot 10 days ago.

In the violent northern city of Mosul, the killing of a Sunni Arab student leader abducted after heading a demonstration against the election results prompted accusations by mourners at his funeral against militias loyal to the victorious Shi'ite Islamists and their Kurdish allies in the interim government.

President Jalal Talabani, meeting the U.S. ambassador who is mediating in efforts to transform the newly inclusive parliament into a viable government, urged Sunni leaders to join a new, broader coalition. Otherwise there would be no peace, he warned.

Disappointed Sunni and secular parties have demanded a rerun of the Dec. 15 election and threatened to boycott parliament, a move that could damage U.S. hopes of forging a consensus that can keep Iraq from breaking up in ethnic and sectarian warfare.

[tularetom]

1. There is no such place as "Iraq"

Iraq is a fake country created by the British Empire after WWI. It was a fusion of tribal groups and religious sects brought together to counter the Turks. Because of the extreme diversity of the components of the population, if the country was to stay together it could only be governed by a strongman - democracy just would not work. Whether we like this or not is irrelevant, it is fact. If we want "Iraq" to be a sovereign nation it must be under the control of a ruler with enough power to keep dissident groups in line. If we want representative government, we'll have to split the country up into multiple nations so that each component can have and govern its own territory.

Presently the US military is fulfilling the role of the strongman and keeping the country together. When we leave, bye bye any pretense of democracy.

[cal04]

2. Sunni's on the election

City council leader Kamal al-Nazal complained of fraud in an election the once dominant Sunni minority had taken part in for the first time with high hopes, only to see them disappointed: "We went to a wedding," he said. "And it turned into a funeral."