WTF? Winners of election will only serve an 11-month term?

[kuozzman]

Hell, Diebold will probably set up shop by December......

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_what_s_next_glance_1

Associated Press

Iraq (news - web sites)'s elections Sunday merely began a process intended to transform the country into a democracy. The tally of the votes is only the first of several steps to come:

_ The 275-member transitional National Assembly will first choose a largely ceremonial president and two vice presidents. They, in turn, will pick a prime minister and a Cabinet that must be ratified by the assembly.

_ The assembly, elected for an 11-month term, will draft a permanent constitution.

_ Iraqis will hold a national referendum in October to accept or reject the constitution.

_ If the document is approved, Iraqis will vote in December for a permanent government under the constitution.

_ If the document is rejected, Iraqis will repeat the whole process, voting for a new transitional assembly to draft a new constitution.

[latteromden]

1. Yep. It's an election for an interim gov't to replace the interim gov't -

and the interim gov't that was voted on today will more than likely be the same interim gov't that they had before.

So, really, absolutely nothing changes.

[Skink]

3. Sounds like us with our interim president.

I mean fraudulant president. Yeah.

[Sparkly]

4. In a sense it's symbolic because they were given a voice (sort of)

and it leads to the next step of drafting the constitution etc. -- so that'll be good. But, it's definitely not going to change the violence there, and BushCo still doesn't have a plan for security, and without that I don't see how whatever government comes from this can remain stable, but we can't say that or we get accused of "providing comfort to the terrorists!" (Scarborough.)

[Igel]

2. That's what they've been saying for many a month.

I've been wondering why people think it matters who the president is. The important thing is who writes the constitution, and whether it passes muster: three provinces veto it = one nuked constitution.

[President Jesus]

5. it would really be nice if people actually read the news before

writing hysterical posts.

[lancdem]

6. I wish Bush only served 11 months

[w4rma]

7. So US troops will be there for at least 11 more months. (nt)