Comments on: Iraqis Turn Out to Vote in Large Numbers

By: Stevely

Stevely — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 05:02:28 +0000

Rick DeMent -

Iran is not an Arab society.

By: Rick DeMent

Rick DeMent — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 02:10:12 +0000

Has there ever been a free election in an Arab society, ah... Iran had competitive elections in 1944, but that didn't last long. Too bad the US's enthusiasm for democracy wasn't as keen as it is today, we backed the Shah, not the parliment.

By: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Weapons of Mass Destruction — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 22:45:35 +0000

Iraqi Elections Roundup

Coverage in the Washington Post includes: Ellen Knickmeyer and Jonathan Finer reporting on strong turnout across Iraq. Doug Struck writing that the chances for secular candidates appear dim in Basra. Ellen Knickmeyer reports on former PM Allawai. The P...

By: Herb

Herb — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 22:08:56 +0000

Fersboo:

There is no computer link. I heard Levin utter those words in the democrats "pre rebutal" prior to Bush's speech. He, Levin, and a few other white flag waving, surrender prone democrats made their views know in their Televison statements yestersay.

By: Fersboo

Fersboo — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:44:02 +0000

Link your source Herb, I've already read that somewhere else today.

By: Herb

Herb — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:24:21 +0000

Yesterday in the Democratic "pre rebutal" to Bush's speech, Democrat Senator Carl Levin said that the Iraq election would lead to a Civil War.

I guess that Levin should know all about this. The democrats have been trying to create a Civil War here in the US right after they lost in 2000 and have stepped up their divisive rehtoric since they lost in 2004. They have had some degree of success with their anti war, anti military, anti Bush, and anti everything agenda ever since the last election. Since 2000, the democrats have launched a hate campaign to undermine our government by any means possible, So, I guess that Senator Levin, speaking on behalf of the democratic party should know that a Free Election is cause and basis for a civil war.

By: chris

chris — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:06:25 +0000

Gloomy now aren't we?

"This is the problem of trying to impose democracy on a traditionally religious societyâ¦ Democracy is supposed to represent (and implement) the will of the people, but if the vast majority of the people are actively religious, youâre going to wind up with a functioning theocracy.

I really, really want Iraq to become a better place, but thereâs a persistent voice in the back of my head saying âno good can come of thisâ..."

And yet, if they choose a relgious-based society, at least they chose it themselves.

By: legion

legion — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:54:31 +0000

This is the problem of trying to impose democracy on a traditionally religious society... Democracy is supposed to represent (and implement) the will of the people, but if the vast majority of the people are actively religious, you're going to wind up with a functioning theocracy.

I really, really want Iraq to become a better place, but there's a persistent voice in the back of my head saying 'no good can come of this'...

By: Perithn

Perithn — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:53:12 +0000

Has there ever been a free election in an Arab society,

Yes. There were free parliamentary elections in Lebanon earlier this year.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:37:07 +0000

Yep. Iraq had "elections" on a regular basis, of course, but they certainly weren't meaningful.

By: ICallMasICM

ICallMasICM — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:35:34 +0000

I heard a great one on the radio today 'In the first presidential election since Saddam was deposed' as if there were presidential elections when he was dictator.