They can't do any election legally! Iraqis voted for Food? WTF

[merh]

RAQ:
Some Just Voted for Food

Dahr Jamail


BAGHDAD, Jan 31 (IPS) - Voting in Baghdad was linked with receipt of food rations, several voters said after the Sunday poll.

Many Iraqis said Monday that their names were marked on a list provided by the government agency that provides monthly food rations before they were allowed to vote.

”I went to the voting centre and gave my name and district where I lived to a man,” said Wassif Hamsa, a 32-year-old journalist who lives in the predominantly Shia area Janila in Baghdad. ”This man then sent me to the person who distributed my monthly food ration.”

Mohammed Ra'ad, an engineering student who lives in the Baya'a district of the capital city reported a similar experience.

http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/interna.asp?idnews=27256

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. The BBC reported this too!

[papau]

6. BBC said list had 12 million names - US Media reports 14 milliom

are the other 2 million the folks out of country, of whom only 10% really registered as there was no food cut off pressure?

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Of course not

If they can't do it here why would they get it there? A lot of them couldn't vote either because they ran out of ballots. Talk about free and fair, right? :grr:

[merh]

2. If only we could get folks to pay attention!

This is just an example of how they use deceipt and tricks!

How do we wake up 50 million folks? :argh:

[FreedomAngel82]

25. Sadly they're already lost

and would never believe us. MSM won't dare report it here.

[annabanana]

3. So Even the Shi'ia might have taken a 'pass'

Without the threat of starvation to get them to the polls. No mention of THIS anywhere in yesterday's hyperventilatin coverage about how GREAT everything went.

(this probably should go in GD where more people will see it.)

[papau]

4. US Media ignores US use of food aid to force Iraq registrations/votes

US Media ignores US use of food aid to force Iraq registrations/votes

http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/hard_news/archives/hard_news/000192.php#more


EYEWITNESS: BAGHDAD | Main

January 31, 2005
Some Just Voted for Food
Inter Press Service
Dahr Jamail

BAGHDAD, Jan 31 (IPS) - Voting in Baghdad was linked with receipt of food rations, several voters said after the Sunday poll.

Many Iraqis said Monday that their names were marked on a list provided by the government agency that provides monthly food rations before they were allowed to vote.

”I went to the voting centre and gave my name and district where I lived to a man,” said Wassif Hamsa, a 32-year-old journalist who lives in the predominantly Shia area Janila in Baghdad. ”This man then sent me to the person who distributed my monthly food ration.”

Mohammed Ra'ad, an engineering student who lives in the Baya'a district of the capital city reported a similar experience.

Ra'ad, 23, said he saw the man who distributed monthly food rations in his district at his polling station. ”The food dealer, who I know personally of course, took my name and those of my family who were voting,” he said. ”Only then did I get my ballot and was allowed to vote.”

”Two of the food dealers I know told me personally that our food rations would be withheld if we did not vote,” said Saeed Jodhet, a 21-year-old engineering student who voted in the Hay al-Jihad district of Baghdad.

There has been no official indication that Iraqis who did not vote would not receive their monthly food rations.

Many Iraqis had expressed fears before the election that their monthly food rations would be cut if they did not vote. They said they had to sign voter registration forms in order to pick up their food supplies.


Snip

[Moderator]

22. papau

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
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DU Moderator

[realFedUp]

5. someone just reported this on Randi's show....

yyeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh.

[merh]

9. Is Randi ranting about this?

I bet she is or will, once she verifies the info.

[understandinglife]

7. food for votes, literally -- just forwarded Dahr Jamail's article to KO.

BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION; 24/7

[merh]

8. Great idea, KO won't ignore this.

(I hope)

[caligirl]

10. Forwarded it to Boxer, Rep (D)Woolsey, and Human Rights

Watch Middle Eastern Division in NYC.

[merh]

11. Thank you!

They will cheat every chance they get!

[DETERMINEDPROGRESIVE]

12. Can This Be For Real????

Tell me this isn't real. They can't possibly be that underhanded and bullyish can they?????

........Forget it, my brain just answered my own question.

Bastards...

[noamnety]

13. Wasn't there another story

of soldiers going door to door to ask people why they weren't voting?

If an armed soldier came to your door, wanting to know why you weren't voting, would you feel a bit intimidated? Like maybe they were suggesting really strongly that you ought to go?

[merh]

15. I haven't seen that article, if you find the thread discussing it, please

share it with us. In answer to your question, yes, I would definitely be intimidated if an armed soldier that had been bombing my nation came to the door to ask me why I hadn't voted yet. I would definitely feel compelled to vote!

[noamnety]

16. I found the source, not the thread

"As polls opened across the country, early signs showed a poor turnout of voters in Mosul. US soldiers were seen driving around city blocks asking why residents were not voting."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/674D4BC3-BDA3-41AF-9D40-B80D79F812F9.htm

The article says they were "asking" but it's not clear what that exactly means. I see it doesn't say door to door, but what exactly was going on? Polite chit-chat with people that were out and about on the streets?

[merh]

18. Thank you for the link.

Gee, what would I do if confronted by soldiers with weapons who asked me why I wasn't voting? :freak: Maybe go vote! :shrug:

[merh]

14. Scarey, isn't it?

:scared: They will stop at nothing to win!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[RaulVB]

17. Don't call it an "election"!

The Iraqi people couldn't vote yesterday. It was a new PR operation!

[HR_Pufnstuf]

19. I wonder if they got a toy with...

...their happy meals.

[merh]

20. I hear that got little GI Joe dolls!

n/t

[NationalEnquirer]

21. Payola!? Why am I not surprised? n/t

[Darknyte7]

23. Like Daniel Quinn said in "My Ishmael"...

You can make people do about anything when you lock up the food and make them dance for it.



Sadly, I'm not at all suprised...