Officials play down post-election threats

[unhappycamper]

Officials play down post-election threats
By Ashley Rowland, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, February 25, 2009

RAMADI, Iraq — Iraqi and U.S. military officials say they don’t expect an outbreak of violence when Anbar’s new provincial government is seated in coming weeks, despite threats by some political parties in the days after the Jan. 31 election to take up arms.

Several U.S. military officials said the threats were bluster and were culturally-based.

"I’m not really that worried about it, to be honest," said Marine Col. John Love, commander of Regimental Combat Team 8. He called the politicians’ calls to arms "mostly rhetoric."

He said he thought "there’s naturally going to be some dissent and some adjustments, but it’s their first time going through this."

Anbar was violence-free during Iraq’s elections for provincial councils, which is similar to U.S. state legislatures. International observers said the elections were largely fair and well-run. But in the days afterward, leaders of the Awakening, including Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha, threatened to reestablish an "armed wing" to contest the election results.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60955