Anyone else see this?

[Dawgs]

A senior U.S. official is downplaying the importance of the planned Iraqi elections at the end of the month and urged people not to focus too much on the turnout and results, the Washington Post reports. "I would ... really encourage people not to focus on numbers, which in themselves don't have any meaning, but to look on the outcome and to look at the government that will be the product of these elections," the official said at a White House briefing, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The official said people should rather think of the transition to democracy as an achievement it itself.

More,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/iraq/main541815.shtml

WTF, this is the biggest bunch of bullshit I've seen on these elections. How can so many not see how badly we have fucked over the Iraqis, our soldiers, and America($$$)?

[pdxmom]

1. Typical Bush ploy

This administration has made a habit of attempting to lower the expectations surrounding everything they do.

They want the citizens of this country to be happy with less than mediocrity.

[progressiveBadger]

2. Of course they are saying this

Turnout is going to be horribly low, the person that they want elected will not be, and nothing will change after Jan 30.
Even this bullshit talking point will change after the elections.

[Dawgs]

3. Someone should tell him that it's not a democracy, if...

the people can't choose(vote).

[LionInWinter]

4. That sounds exactly like the Republican Party version of it!

[greyfox]

5. Typical Shrub crapola

That's what happened here --- enough voters stayed home to land us in this mess again and so THAT has become the warcry now -- don't worry about the vote... if 2 come and vote for *****, then we win...
TOTAL BS!!!!

[flobee1kenobi]

6. In a nutshell

Don't try to work out the numbers yourself,you wouldn't understand.

"and to look at the government that will be the product of these elections"

They already know the results of the elections.

[greyfox]

10. Precisely....

The Shrub and cronies have it all in hand... hide and watch... (which is all we can do right now it seems)....

[walldude]

7. Doesn't matter who shows up or when or if

They might as well save themselves the trouble. Really. Does anyone think that Chalabi isn't going to "win" the "election"?

[txaslftist]

8. Because since we killed so many, we're not sure how many...

...Iraqi names to put into the BBV machines. We don't want too much verification... Let's just focus on what a great puppet regime we install.

[MissWaverly]

11. fyi

Yes, how can you have an election and not worry about how many people voted???

[Cocoa]

9. numbers schmumbers

didn't Bush have a line about not being a mathematician or something like that?

[EC]

12. Why bother, I'm sure the winner will be who * wants....n/t

[Cleita]

13. Those pesky numbers again. Tsk, tsk tsk......

We know they aren't into election numbers. What a travesty. I hope no Iraqis show up to vote.

[babylonsister]

14. This was on, guess who, KO tonight. Powell said today

on McLaughlin (?) that low voter turnout will indicate the insurgents are winning. (Ya think, Colin?) But this admin is consciously lowering expectations of any great results like they claim happened in Afghanistan This election will be deeply flawed (this from Robin Wright, WaPo).
So, not only were WMDs a fallacy, but now the elections won't have any real meaning because the insurgents will ruin everything. Yep, bunch of shit. And we're now over 1300 dead Americans, who knows the toll on the wounded physically and mentally, and the death toll in Iraq. It's criminal.