Iraq: Prime Minister Says Some Areas Will Not Vote In Election

[Robbien]

Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has acknowledged that areas of Iraq will be too unsafe to take part in the 30 January election. The assessment raises again the question of how free and fair Iraq's vote for a new National Assembly can be given the continuing violence.

Prague, 12 January 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said there are "some pockets that will not participate in the election" due to security problems.

Speaking to reporters in Baghdad yesterday, Allawi did not specify the places that might not take part in the poll. But last week, the U.S. commander of ground forces in Iraq said parts of four provinces -- mostly populated by Sunni Arabs -- were not yet safe enough for voting.

<snip>

In a sign of the insurgents' continuing pressure, the 13-member team organizing elections in the restive central province of Anbar resigned yesterday after receiving death threats. Insurgents in recent weeks have killed scores of local officials and political figures in an effort to derail the upcoming poll.

The National Assembly elected on 30 January is expected to choose Iraq's next interim government. The assembly is also expected to appoint a body to write Iraq's first post-Saddam Hussein constitution.

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/1/6540CAA2-6EEC-473C-A64B-F81E3030BD33.html

[BattyDem]

1. Democracy .... * style

Only SOME people get to vote. :eyes:

[NJmaverick]

2. george bush has taught him well

Kind of like Ohio, only the red parts of the state got to vote.

[noshenanigans]

3. Not voting *at all*?

It's a shame they aren't breaking things up into districts or something so that some sections could vote on their representatives after security has been established. As it is, they're just screwed.

I will be amazed if this doesn't end in a civil war.

[Tactical Progressive]

4. Hey, just like us!

I guess they are an American-style democracy after all.

[warrens]

5. I like it

Looks to me like the security situation is pretty shaky in a few regions here too. Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Utah, Kansas, South Carolina and a handful of others.

[UpInArms]

6. now that will definitely make this sElection legitimate! .... eom

[Moderator]

7. duplicate topic, please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1141210