Several Hundred Thousand Iraqis March, Say Elections Were Rigged!

[kpete]

Iraqis March, Say Elections Were Rigged

Friday December 23, 2005 2:01 PM


By SINAN SALAHEDDIN

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Large demonstrations broke out across the country Friday to denounce parliamentary elections that protesters say were rigged in favor of the main religious Shiite coalition. Meanwhile, a lawyer for Saddam Hussein said he saw evidence that his client had been beaten.

Several hundred thousand people demonstrated after noon prayers in southern Baghdad Friday, many carrying banners decrying last week's elections. Many Iraqis outside the religious Shiite coalition allege that the elections were unfair to smaller Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups.

``We refuse the cheating and forgery in the elections,'' one banner read.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5500000,00.html

[WhiteTara]

1. glad to see that the Iraqis

know they are being screwed right there in front of our eyes. These people have such courage...I guess that comes from nothing left to lose, even one's own life.

[xchrom]

2. bush doesn't know the meaning of self determination...

oh wait -- that ws never the goal.

where are the weapons of mass destruction?!?!?!

never, ever let up on that question -- never!

[hippiechick]

3. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5675624


:hi:

[cosmicdot]

4. sounds familiar ... rings a bell ... rigged elections ...

but, no "large demonstrations broke out" over here in 2000-02-04 ...

the face of Bu$hCo** democracy ... here and abroad ... the best democracy money can buy ...

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. If I were a Black Ops guy

If I was a black ops guy, and knew that Chalabi and/or Allawi couldn't win outright, I'd engineer evidence that the actual winners (the Shiite religious coalition) actually cheated, then foment rebellion among the Chalabi supporters behind that evidence.

Put another way, you want Chalabi to win, but you know there's no chance of that. You don't wanbt the religious Shiites to win, but you know they will win easily. Do you rig the election such that Chalabi would win? No, that would be too transparent. You rig the election such that the religious Shiites win by too much, thus delegitimizing their win (since they would have won legitimately anyway). Now, the actual Chalabi people have a "real" beef, and the Sunni feel like they can throw in with the secular Shiites against the religious Shiites. Then you start organizing the protest and delegitimizing the religious Shiites. That's how I would do it if I were a black ops guy.