I have a theory about the 'High Turnout' myth...

[merwin]

If they're basing high turnout on people that voted vs registered voters... then turnout could have very well been up at 60-70%, since it's likely that many of those Sunni's that didn't vote also didn't register to vote.

[googly]

1. Born and raised in South Asia, so I had a gut feeling turnout in Iraq

would be high. In fact higher than any election in the US.
The highest turnout was in 1960 at 62%, and Iraqi's had 72%.
That puts shame on those Americans who stayed home on Nov 2nd
and did not bother to vote for Kerry. Just think, 60% of
registered voters bothered voting and only half of that voted
for Bush. So, Bush got elected by 30% of the eligible voters.
That is disgusting.

As for Iraq, I am hoping a new democracy is born in the muslim
middle-east where none exists. Can you believe people voted
inspite of 40 voters getting killed trying to vote? If voters
were being killed in the US, the turnout would have been less
than 10%.

[louis-t]

2. 60-70% of registered voters

Only 10% of those elegible actually registered, I thought.

[merwin]

3. If you talk about the number of eligable voters that voted... the numbers

will be horrible.

[thecorster]

4. keep this in mind:

Iraqis from all around the globe were allowed to vote. American Iraqis here in the States (who had no chance of being killed at the polls) were part of the registered number, and likely part of the "high turnout."

Mind you, I'm not upset about the turnout... I hope it goes well and we can get out of there ASAP.