First returns in from Iraq election -- commanding lead by Shiites

[kentuck]

http://isp.netscape.com/lcisp/home/story.jsp?flok=FF-APO-1107&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20050203%2F2311026678.htm&sc=1107&floc=isp-11&related=off&from=news

<snip>
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi officials Thursday released the first partial returns from national elections, showing a commanding lead by candidates backed by the Shiite Muslim clergy. Sunni insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks, killing at least 30 people, including three U.S. Marines and a dozen Iraqi army recruits.

<snip>
As expected, they showed that the United Iraqi Alliance, backed by Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, was leading - with 1.1 million votes out of the 1.6 million counted and certified so far. Some 14 million Iraqis were eligible to vote.

The ticket headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a U.S.-backed secular Shiite, trailed second with more than 360,500 votes.

[FreedomAngel82]

1. From what BushCo have said

I thought ALL Iraqi's voted? What's with the eligible to vote stuff?

[Maple]

2. You had to register to vote

and many Iraqis didn't

[bluestateguy]

3. Howard Kurtz recently said the real turnout will be more like 45%

But I don't have the link.