CNN: no polling places or election posters in Baghdad

[grasswire]

I caught this earlier from their report from Baghdad itself, but the significance of it just hit me.

WTF??

No polling places exist in Baghdad?

No election posters anywhere in the city?

[mike_c]

1. utter sham....

I hope the whole world is watching this.

[arcane1]

2. so that's what, 5 million people who won't vote?

not counting the ones killed in the 'shock and awe' terrorist attack?

[naturalselection]

3. Yes, I saw someone on CNN

interviewing Iraqis in Tikrit about the upcoming election and one of them said he has no idea who is running for office so why should he vote for someone he doesn't know.

This is a total farce.

[arcane1]

4. but it will make great PR over here

[AllegroRondo]

5. Its pretty sad

we dont know who can vote - there has never been a census
we dont know where to vote - they refuse to release polling locations
we dont know who is running - most candidates will not release their names
we dont know what the political parties stand for - most dont want to advertise. those that can afford it buy air time on radio, during the 2 hours a day electricity may be on.


But * says the election is running great.

[blue northern]

7. * is right, for him the Iraqi election process is running great

Most Americans are ignorant of the facts you pointed out.
The Iraqi election outcome is predetermined.
The "preparations" are for optics.
Hey if pre-determined elections are good enough at home, why not in American colonies abroad?

[Tinoire]

12. Sounds just like the last 2 elections in the US, with the exception of # 3

with the exception of "we dont know who is running"; sounds just like a US election.

[Pawel K]

6. I think this will be rigged

I honestly think the white house is looking to rig this election and put in to office whoever they want. How in the hell can you have a fair election without knowing who is running, widespread violence against voters, and no exit polls to make sure the data is accurate.

[madmom]

8. not to sound uppity or anything but....

duh!

[nolabels]

9. Why would you think that?

http://www.votefraud.org/josef_stalin_vote_fraud_page.htm

[tgnyc]

10. Hell yeah, that shit's gonna be rigged.

This coming election is biggest fucking farce since Bush v. Gore.

[yellowcanine]

11. The locations of polling places are being kept secret. How the voters

will know where to go? Your guess is as good as mine.

[Supersedeas]

13. the future of democracy....Rovian style

loyalty oaths to follow

[Jacobin]

14. Oh, and NO DRIVING will be allowed on election day

to keep away suicide car bombers.

No shit. It's true.

YOu can't drive on election day

[htuttle]

15. It sounds like the last election Hussein ran was more fair than this

[bklyncowgirl]

16. Maybe they'll send Ken Blackwell over to count the votes. nt

[Maiden England]

17. Bringing democracy to the world - American style....

hey we are doing just what we promised....

If you can rig an election in the land of the free and the home of the brave, rigging one in a fucked up middle eastern hell hole must be not a terribly hard thing to achieve...