raqis Stream to the Polls Amid Tight Security No Major Violence Amid Elections Seen as Test of Iraq's Stability as U.S. Role Diminishes By Sudarsan Raghavan Washington Post Foreign Service Saturday, January 31, 2009; 8:39 AM BAGHDAD, Jan. 31 -- Iraqis streamed passed police cordons and barbed wire as they went to the polls on Saturday to vote in their first elections in four years, widely seen as a test of Iraq's stability as the U.S. role in Iraq diminishes. The all-important provincial elections are viewed as a key indicator of whether the nation can build upon fragile security gains and address imbalances in power that still plague many areas. More than 14,000 candidates are running for 440 seats to lead councils that are the equivalent of state legislatures in the United States. The elections are unfolding in all of Iraq's provinces except three in the autonomous Kurdish region and the province that includes the disputed city of Kirkuk, where ethnic groups were unable to reach a power-sharing agreement paving the way for elections. The polls opened shortly after dawn following a heavy security clampdown launched on Friday. Those security measures included closing Iraq's borders and airspace coupled with bans on vehicle traffic and the deployment of thousands of security personnel around polling stations. Fair Use Snippet of Larger Article ===> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/31/AR2009013100601_pf.html
We should be proud of the changes in Iraq. We did it at great sacrifice to ourselves and the results are cementing. The Iraqi people should also be very very proud. I disagree. I don't think Iraq sucks. I think the people of Iraq deserve recognition for their development. Ruben
It sucks. Five minutes after we leave there theyll be swapping goats for children and cutting the throats of political oppositions. Yea some developments. Most places there dont even have running water. For petessake theyve been around for over 2000 years.
What makes you think they wont? Thats what theyve always done. The resaon they arent now is because of our presence. 'Now whos being niave, Kay?'. I will bet you a shiny buffalo nickel, that after we leave there he'll be, ''Big Chief Mus Muhfed'' sitting on his tuffet, killing the Kurds and Gays.''.
