Sometimes heading over into the fever swamps of Daily Kos has its moments. They’re in full Karl Rove-Valerie Plame frenzy right now, and I had to scroll way down to find anything about Iraq. Here’s the spin: while people are voting and the constitution will likely pass, the Iraqis are – gosh darn it – just not enthusiastic about it.
So unenthusiastic, in fact, they crowded into the polls. From the UK Guardian – “Large turnout for Iraq constitution vote”:
Sunni Arabs voted in surprisingly high numbers on Iraq's new constitution Saturday, many of them hoping to defeat it in an intense competition with Shiites and Kurds over the shape of the nation's young democracy after decades of dictatorship. With little violence, turnout was more than 66 percent in the three most crucial provinces.“Intense competition” but, you know, cool and understated. You dig?
6 comments:
Hilariously, Armando had the nerve to ask: sure, the Constitution will pass, but what's so great about that?...talk about your moving goalposts...
I can hardly await the following years' question form Armando:
2010. Sure, the Iraqis have had a democratic government for more than five years now and the country's economy has rebounded nicely and is growing great guns, but why aren't things perfect yet? When are the two dozen remaining American troops going to be withdrawn?
2030. Well, sure, it's been a whole generation of Iraqis who have had a series of peaceful elections, Iraq it the largest and fasted growing economy in the Mideast, Iran finally went democratic in 2015 after watching in envy as Iraq surged ahead, the separation of church and state appears to be complete, but what about the fact that we still haven't found Zarqawi? And when will we withdraw the Marine guards at the embassy?
Quagmire, damnit!! I tell you it's a quagmire!
Don't forget the magical fountains of chocolate.
But... but... but... it had wrinkly ladies with pruple fingers!
Iraq Election Commission Checking Ballots
By SAMEER N. YACOUB
Associated Press Writer
October 18, 2005, 5:45 AM EDT
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A sandstorm that muddied Baghdad's skies cleared, allowing officials to resume flying ballot boxes to the capital Tuesday so "unusually high" vote totals in 12 Shiite and Kurdish provinces can be checked by election officials.
The investigation by Iraq's election commission has raised the possibility that the results of the referendum could be called into question. As many as 99 percent of the voters reportedly approved Iraq's draft constitution in some of the provinces being investigated.
Meanwhile, insurgents resumed attacks that had fallen sharply during Saturday's vote at heavily protected polling stations across the country.
....Among the Sunni allegations are that police took ballot boxes from heavily "no" districts, and that some "yes" areas had more votes than registered voters.
The high numbers were seen among the nine Shiite provinces of the south and the three Kurdish ones in the north, al-Lami said. Those provinces reported to the AP "yes" votes above 90 percent, with some as high as 97 and 98 percent.
Two provinces that are crucial to the results -- Ninevah and Diyala, which have mixed Sunni, Shiite and Kurd populations -- were not among those that appeared unusual. But the official with knowledge of the counting process said the unexpected results were not isolated to the Shiite and Kurdish provinces and were "all around the country." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the count.
Wait: did you say that "some 'yes' areas had more votes than registered voters"?
How is that different from heavily Democratic districts here in the U.S.?
Maybe they were getting dead people to vote, too.
What better sign that Iraq is embracing a free society than by emulating liberals in America?
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