Iraq election will set a course for the nation

[ECH1969]

Iraqis will head to the polls Thursday for a National Assembly election that could offer a last chance to move a country that's rife with sectarian division and violence toward reconciliation and stability. If all works well, the elections might pave the way toward starting an orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops. Yet the election just as easily could produce a stalemate that drives Iraq's warring ethnic groups farther apart and pushes the nation toward outright civil war and disintegration.

In this election, Sunnis, 20 percent of the population, are expected to vote in greater numbers than before and take many more seats than the 17 they won last time. Many of those new Sunni seats will come at the expense of the United Iraqi Alliance.

"We are all going to be surprised," said Hassan Bazzaz, a professor of political science and international relations at Baghdad University and frequent U.S. adviser. "This situation is so complicated."

Bazzaz said the secularists could become a decisive swing bloc, depending on how many seats they won. Allawi, who won 12 percent of the vote in January, "will do a lot better than before," he said.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/world/13371726.htm

[figureditout]

1. I think it would be criminal not to hope for the best

As a human being, no matter what got us/them to this point. If this can help put Iraq on the track to stability, then I hope all goes well. No matter what my feeling are of George W. B*S%

[DemInDistress]

2. this whole process is a scam..a fraud perpetuated by the

Bush Crime Family. Frankly, I was comfortable with Saddam at the helm. These milestones, created as we go was not the impetus that started the war. Saddam has wmd's.. Saddam can kill us in 45 minutes..Saddam has
missiles that can hit the USA.. Give me a break !! Meanwhile, where is the oil money created from oil produced when the Bush Crime Family illegally invaded Iraq?

[figureditout]

3. Are you kidding me???

Frankly, I was comfortable with Saddam at the helm. (posted by DemInDistress)

Not one democratic leader would say Saddam was a good man. He murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent people. Just becasue this was a war started on lies doesn't mean that Saddam wasn't an evil man. Also, we gave Saddam WMD's to fight Iran in the 80's. Where did they go?

[DemInDistress]

5. Saddam was a contained "evilman"

Saddam was limited to Central Iraq. No fly zones worked well in the North and South. Look at what we now
have instead of Saddam. 2,135 dead soldiers..30k wounded soldiers..100k dead Iraqi's.. 200k wounded Iraqi's
300 badly needed billions of dollars. Rerack the clock and give me Saddam..
One last item.. Saddam could have been taken out with a 20 cent k-Mart bullet..But the Bush Crime Family
wanted Iraq's oil.So we are now embroiled in a long term war and occupation. Sorry but I disagree with you.

[VegasWolf]

4. How many "elections" do we need to see that Bush's puppets are

trying to run the country for Bush. They have failed dramatically so far, and the insurgency has only increased. Bush's leave no oil barrel behind program.

:sarcasm: