Iraq Elections Doable Before 2005
"(CBS/AP) Elections for a new Iraqi government would by possible by the end of 2004 if preparations for them began immediately, a United Nations envoy said in a report released Monday.
Lakhdar Brahimi said there was broad consensus for a provisional government to be formed by June 30. But he also said the preferred U.S. option - for a system of regional caucuses to elect the government - "does not appear to enjoy sufficient support among Iraqis to be a viable option any longer." "
SNIP
"Both the United States and the United Nations say elections by the end of June are impossible for security and other reasons and are deliberating options for establishing a provisional government to take power.
With most Iraqi leaders opposed to the original U.S. plan to pick a provisional government before the June 30 deadline using regional caucuses, Iraq's Governing Council and American administrators are trying to work out a new method. "
Full Story2005, how comforting. This is an optimistic assessment by the UN. So that's what , 5 years? Considering that is an optimistic estimate, it's probably more like 7 or 8. That brings us to longer than Vietnam. Could things be any more screwed up?