US troops are going to protect the ballots in Iraq. Wink, wink

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/MAC153329.htm

US troops plan to protect voters and votes in Iraq
11 Oct 2005 17:25:14 GMT


Source: Reuters

By Claudia Parsons

NEAR BAQUBA, Iraq, Oct 11 (Reuters) - U.S. troops trying to make Saturday's constitutional referendum in Iraq as safe as possible say it's not just people who have to be protected, but millions of pieces of paper.

"The most important thing that we have to secure on the entire day is going to be ballots, both because of the symbolic value to the enemy and the legitimacy of the election," said Lieutenant Colonel Rich Creed of the U.S. forces.

He works in Diyala province which straddles Iraq's sectarian and ethnic faultlines and could provide an acid test.

On Tuesday, as suicide bombers killed nearly 30 people elsewhere, U.S. commanders in Diyala met Iraqi officials to complete vote preparations in the province around the city of Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

[wtmusic]

1. Put my ballot in a BOX? Are you kidding?

I'm going to hand it to that Marine where I know it will be safe.

[ComerPerro]

3. My Econ Professor at KU lived in Austria when the Germans took over

(He was with the UK, as intelligence, BTW)

He said that the Nazis had voting on whether Austria should join with Germany, "Yes" was in a large circle and "No" was very small. All people had to turn in their ballots to an SS officer.

[wtmusic]

4. Dayum

good story. More proof that democracy depends only on the good intentions of the people in charge.

[oblivious]

2. Remember it's not how many votes you get, it's who gets to count them.