Iraqi Communists defy odds, heavily campaign for Jan. 30 elections

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=da...

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two of its most prominent members were gunned down recently, but that didn’t stop the Iraq’s Communist Party from holding a campaign rally in downtown Baghdad, with supporters waving red flags and shouting leftist slogans.

Few other parties have dared to do the same, but then Iraq’s Communists are a stubborn bunch. And although they are not expected to win many seats in the country’s Jan. 30 elections, their insistence on a strong voice in Iraqi politics could still pay off.

The party’s main tenet is the separation of state and religion, which makes them unique in Iraq’s political landscape. They could play an important role by striking a balance between the Shiite parties expected to dominate and their Sunni rivals in the new national assembly, which will help put together a new constitution.

“It is hard to think that we could be a majority,” said Shakir al-Dujaily, a senior party member. “What we are after is being part of this interim body and relaying our ideas that shouldn’t be absent from drafting the constitution.”

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[54anickel]

1. Oh, that's rich! The irony!!! The villified Communist party now being

relied upon to help support democracy in Iraq. A couple more snippets:

snip>

The Communist Party platform says “a democratic, federal system is what guarantees all Iraqis their rights and will free them of violence and terrorism.”

It is perhaps this attitude that landed the Communists a seat on the US hand-picked Governing Council. The party has also become part of the interim government with party member Mufeed al-Jazaeri becoming culture minister.

The Communists are Iraq’s oldest party. Established in 1934, they were banned under the British-installed monarchy. Later, thousands were massacred after the Baath Party overthrew the Communist-supported government of Gen. Abdel Karim Qassim in a 1960s CIA-backed coup.

snip>

In the 1970s, party leaders fled to Iraqi Kurdistan, where they formed a militia that fought Saddam Hussein’s army alongside Kurdish guerrillas. Meanwhile, they maintained party cells in urban centers, where they existed in deep secrecy to avoid the omnipresent secret police.

[underpants]

2. See they should have never let W play with the dominoes

as usual he got it ass backwards.

[sleipnir]

3. Comrades, you have support here.

I'd love it to no end if Iraq became a Communist country. That'd give Georgie Boy something to fume about back on his hypocritical ranch.


The Internationale unites the human race.

[NYC]

10. That would make me laugh.

I hope they do really well in the elections.

(I know. The winner will be Allawi. I do know that.)

[Sandpiper]

4. How cute!

They actually think this "election" doesn't have a predetermined outcome.

[NYC Liberal]

8. Even if they DO somehow win,

no doubt there will be cries of fraud from the Dictator's Mansion. Then we can topple the government AGAIN!

[w4rma]

5. Nothing in the world would anger BushCo more than if those guys

won the election. Nothing.

[Bouncy Ball]

6. BWA!!!!

Now why do I find that hilarious?

Actually their positions sound quite reasonable. What the heck is wrong with "peace, democracy, national brotherhood?"

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. the story has hit AP...

(Sorry, Don... I missed this one)

http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=st...

[rug]

9. It's about time

something remotely resembling the left is emerging there