Iraq Sunnis fear bombs not bin Laden on poll day

[Barrett808]

Iraq Sunnis fear bombs not bin Laden on poll day
By Lin Noueihed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Plagued by violence and fearing reprisals, many of Iraq's Sunni Muslims say they had resolved to stay at home on election day long before Osama bin Laden said anyone who voted was a infidel.

With only a month to go until Iraq's first free poll, many Iraqis in the Sunni north and west said they would not vote while U.S.-led troops remained on Iraqi soil anyway. Even those who once dreamed of casting their ballot now say they are too busy trying to stay alive to think about the January 30 poll.

"It makes no sense to put your life in danger to vote when the Americans will put whoever they want in power anyway," said Mohammed, a Baghdad resident who refused to give his full name, on Tuesday.

"Whatever Bin Laden says, people had already made up their minds not to vote. I didn't even register."

(more)

http://tinyurl.com/5scyj

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml;2NCVWTIOD3G4ACRBAEZSFFA?type=worldNews&storyID=645634

[shady lane]

1. Well, we will see in a month if they feel the same way

I think they will vote.

[Goldmund]

3. Why do you think that?

[shady lane]

4. They are just leveraging themselves now

I think they are just leveraging themselves now. Playing the "we won't vote unless you do x or y for us" gambit. Its all power politics; they know they have fewer voters so they must do something to leverage their power. The same thing happens, without all the violence, here in America.

[Goldmund]

6. I don't know that the general population of a country...

...that's been a dictatorship for a generation is politically sophisticated enough to think about leveraging of power etc. I don't think that the general population in the US is even sophisticated enough for that, and here we are bombarded with political games 24/7.

Not to say that it's impossible. But it seems much more likely to me that the guy is sincere; and he also, IMO, happens to be right -- nobody who will refuse to tow the line for the US will get "elected". It's outrageously naive to believe otherwise.

[shady lane]

7. Whatever

I tend to disagree. If even 10% of Iraq people did not want us there, that would be about 1 million adult males of fighting age capable of physically throwing the 150,000 troops we have out, or at least making it much more miserable than it is now.

[Goldmund]

9. Oh, I see --

-- you're of the "Iraqi people want us there" pursuasion.

[TheKingfish]

10. Ah so you have been to Ramadi recently i take it? n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. That logic does not hold up.

The Iraqi Army was estimated to be 375,000 soldiers in 2002. If only 10% of Iraqi's, or about 1 million adults males of fighting age, did not want Saddam there why did they not make it more miserable for him?

[shady lane]

12. Saddams army was much larger

He had a national guard, a regular army, his personal army, his fedamujahadden, every retired soldier was dependent on Saddam for his retirement check, each son had a personal army, and anybody that posed a threat was killed before they knew what was happening. In total Saddam directly controlled over 4 million adult males.

Now when the leader of a country first walks up to the stage smoking a cigar, as Saddam did, and announces a plot against him, and hauls off 1 of every 3 legislatures and shoots them in the plaza: that has a tendency to make others a little more wary about crossing him.

[Goldmund]

13. Interesting indeed

and what happens to those who cross the US in Iraq these days?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. I am confused where you get the 4 million total.

Even USCENTCOM was not so liberal with it's numbers. I sited The International Institute of Strategic Studies for my number. This is the post Gulf War estimates. Iraq lost some 40% of it's military force in the Gulf War.

Size of Iraqi Army in 2002: 375,000
Number of Republican Guard stationed around Baghdad: 80,000
Number of Special Republican Guard security force inside Baghdad: 25,000 to 35,000

Are you referring to those ruled by fear? Do you think we have instilled fear on the Iraqi people? Do you think the destruction of Fallujah was a terrifying act to the people who lived there? Would it terrify you to have your neighborhood bombed? Would you be more or less likely to submit to the occupying forces?

As our own government admits, we have lost the war for the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people.

[movonne]

5. Why do you think that??? We here in America won't even stand in

line, let alone worry about bombs...

[xultar]

2. Since * and Rummy want the Iraqis to go to the polls and vote with

bombs a burstin in mid air....

I think BUSH OUGHT TO GET OUT OF HIS ARMORED LIMO AND WALK THE PARADE ROUTE TO HIS CORONATION.


RUMMY, ASSKROFT, POWELL, RICE, CHENEY, KKKARL, ALL THE MUTHERFUCKERS SHOULD WALK RIGHT IN LINE BEHIND HIS CHIMPY ASS.

If they do that then I'm for the Iraq GE. If they don't then the Iraqi GE is off.

[Democracy Died 2004]

8. Good frigging grief

what a wonderful pile of shit democracy we have created.