The Iraqi Ballot, Translated (A must read)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

NOTE: READ THE ENTIRE STORY HERE: http://www.antiwar.com/orig/karama.php?articleid=4651
by Hawra Karama
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1. Do you prefer to be tortured by A) American soldiers or B) British soldiers?

2. When occupying soldiers stop you in the street, would you rather be strip-searched A) with blindfold or B) without blindfold?

3. When foreign soldiers enter your house in the middle of the night to arrest your husband and terrorize your kids, would you prefer that they A) knock or B) ring the doorbell?

4. Which of the following CIA-paid Iraqis should represent you?

5. Do you want the foreign forces occupying your country to leave? A) No.

To make sure our voices were being fully heard, some of the questions were open ended. Voters were actually allowed to write in their opinions on a number of issues. Observe:

6. Which media outlet should hold the copyright to the pictures of your torture?

7. The occupation has violated the sanctity of the holy sites in Najaf and Karbala and bombed many mosques in Baghdad and Falluja. Are there any other holy sites you believe the occupation has missed?

8. Which American company do you believe should be awarded a monopoly on Iraq's oil?

After reading all the questions, I did the same thing I'd done in 1995 and 2002. I left the ballot blank and walked out.

On my way out of the voting site, an American soldier handed me a sticker with the words "I voted" printed on it. He looked perplexed as I stuck it on his rifle and left.

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