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Call for a Boycott of Iraqi Elections.

Pacridge

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The network and web site of Aljazeera have called for a boycott of the proposed Jan. Iraqi elections. Aljazeeza, for those of you who have been living in out space for the past few years, is a completely bias Arabic cable news network based out of Qatar. So basically it's no big surprise for them to not support the elctions. In fact pretty much anything we try to do, they're going to be against. I think if Bush and his people wanted to "take out" a few of Aljazeera's staff he could do so simply by suggesting they breath. Their immediate reaction would undoubtably be suffocation.

So why give a s**t what they say? Well while people here don't listen to them people in the middle east, including Iraq, do listen. And they listen in large numbers. They're basically the only game in town over there and they ability to spew spin would make Rupert Murdoch proud.

This, in part, is what they had to say about the upcomming elections:

"The planned election will change the political composition of Iraq to suit the interests of the occupation authorities. The change will also lead to ethnic, sectarian and religious divisions that the Iraqi state and people had succeeded to avoid."

And there's more:

"The coming election will give power to every politician who has assisted the invaders and collaborated with them to consolidate the occupation. Therefore, we believe that even after the election, the decision-making process will be taken in the US embassy in Baghdad and the elected government will be no more than a vehicle to carry out Washington's decisions."

The interm Iraqi government, at one time, threw these guys out of the country. I think they've since allowed them back in, mainly due to popular outcry (this network is very popular), but even when they were out it really had little effect since they were still able to broadcast and a large persentage of the Iraqi people get their TV via satellite. (Edit as of 12-11-2004: According to the Aljazeera Web Site they are still not allowed to operate witnin Iraq and seven other Arab nation for that matter)

I don't know about anyone elses thoughts, I but I feel if we can't get these elections going we're most certainly taking steps backwards.

Here's the link to their entire article:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D1C660D3-31C9-44C5-925F-4070AC17D606.htm
 
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I don't know about anyone elses thoughts, I but I feel if we can't get these elections going we're most certainly taking steps backwards.

I am right there with you. But what can we do?
We believe in freedom of speech and that is what they are doing.

Hopefully, in due time, they will get the point.
 
vauge said:
I don't know about anyone elses thoughts, I but I feel if we can't get these elections going we're most certainly taking steps backwards.

I am right there with you. But what can we do?
We believe in freedom of speech and that is what they are doing.

Hopefully, in due time, they will get the point.
I honestly hope so, but if we can do it, how long is it going to take? And how many American lives is it going to cost us? This, IMO, is one of those situations where I don't know how to fix it but I'm fairly certain it's broke. As I've said in other threads I think it's ultra important to do what we can to win the "Hearts and Minds." I think that's pretty difficult task when we're compelled to use napalm. We just lost another young man from my area yesterday, Sgt. David A. Mitts 23. I didn't know him but my daughter did. From what I understand his wife is pregnant. I realize in war you loose people, but I'd like to keep that number as low as possible and as long as we're loosing the opinion war over there I think we're going to be loosing more troops then if we weren't.
 
Quoting fromt he President today:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/12/20041207-2.html

[font=arial, helvetica, sans serif] Next month, Iraqis will vote in free and democratic elections. As election day approaches, we can expect further violence from the terrorists. You see, the terrorists understand what is at stake. They know they have no future in a free Iraq, because free people never choose their own enslavement. They know democracy will give Iraqis a stake in the future of their country. When Iraqis choose their leaders in free elections, it will destroy the myth that the terrorists are fighting a foreign occupation and make clear that what the terrorists are really fighting is the will of the Iraqi people.

[/font]
 
As I've said many times before I really hope you're right. However I think it's more than just a little overly optimistic what Bush is saying. I'm not saying he doesn't believe it, I just think he wrong. I think the scenarios are many and any positive outcome is a long shot a best. As the Aljazeeza article noted there are several groups groups that don't feel like there being fairly represented in the election process. What going to happend when they hold the election and those people don't feel it was fair? This could end up being like throwing stones at a hornets nest. Then the elections would end up making matters worse, not better.
 
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