'No reason' Iraqi polls should be delayed, Powell says

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said there is "no reason" why Iraq (news - web sites)'s scheduled January 30 elections should not go ahead on time, despite continuing concerns over violence and the reluctance of the country's Sunni minority.

"There's no reason they shouldn't," Powell said when asked whether the elections should go forward as scheduled. "We're working hard on it. The UN has increased its presence.


"There are thousands of Iraqis who are working on registration and getting ready for the elections," he told reporters. "We're encouraging all parties to participate in the political process, especially in the Sunni heartland.


"An election is the way forward," Powell said after meeting Bahrain's visiting King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa, calling the vote the best way for the Iraqi people to take a stand against the insurgency that has gripped the Sunni triangle.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041129/pl_afp/us_iraq_vote&cid=1521&ncid=1480

Guess Colin doesn't read the paper or watch the news like his boss *. Take some more Ambien. :eyes:

[kcwayne]

1. Being blown up at the polls because there is no security is not a reason?

[Journeyman]

2. This from the guy who won't be around to take the fall. . .

when the "election" proves an ill-considered disaster.

Maybe this is payback time from Powell -- he knows this is going to be a disaster, so he pushes for it instead of cautions against, knowing when it proves disastrous BushCo will be left holding the bag. . . and perhaps have to swallow a share of responsibility.

[Gman]

6. Makes me wonder if he wants the train wreck to happen

a la LIHOP! (haven't seen that acronym used in a while on DU!)

[Spinzonner]

3. Why should we care what a (very) Lame Duck says ?

[bemildred]

4. We just need elections, voting is not necessary. nt

[Canuckistanian]

5. Just because the Shi'ite's are boycotting

and large parts of the country are still unstable and many countries are unsure about recoginizing the victors of this "election", no reason to worry at all.

[grumpy old fart]

7. Actually, it's the Sunnis, but in any case...

any election's gonna be a sham, so what's the difference?

[Canadian_moderate]

11. ? Sunnis are the ones threatening to boycott.

Shi'ites have an overwhelming majority and are more than eager to seize this opportunity to grab some power.

[gatorboy]

8. Hilarious! Bush considered closing elections here

over the slightest hint of terrorism.

There, thousands are being killed, terroism is everywhere, but the (fixed) elections must go on!

[maddezmom]

9. Ten killed in Iraq bombings as PM says violence receding...

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Four Iraqi national guardsmen, four civilians and two US soldiers were killed in bomb attacks, even as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi claimed violence was receding in the aftermath of the Fallujah assault.


And while security concerns prompted calls from leading political parties to postpone landmark elections scheduled for January, the country's first free polls in decades appeared to remain on target with US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) saying there was "no reason" for a delay.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1515&ncid=1515&e=1&u=/afp/20041129/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_041129192830

[jmatthan]

10. The votes have already been counted

Bush, Powell and co only need the election event to announce the result, just as in the US elections!!

Of course, CIA operative and alleged killer Allawi will win hands down just as Karazai in Afghanistan.

Jacob Matthan
Oulu, Finland

[damntexdem]

12. Demands by 16 leading Iraqi parties, ...

including the two leading Kurdish parties, constitute "no reason."

Hey, Kurds, you expected to be betrayed again by the U.S. This is it!

[74dodgedart]

13. Ignore the insurgency behind the curtain

If they can't protect policeman standing in line to collect their paychecks in Bagdahd, how are they going to protect the average Iraqi standing in line to vote in small-town Iraq..