Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Iraqi Elections	Choux	01/25/05
Looks like the Iraqi Elections are going to be a huge success! *Phew* Many of the people have gotten behind the idea of voting and having a say in their government. Actually, loving the idea. (Per polls)I hope that this potential success will prove America right for being pro active in going after the causes of Islamofascism. What are your thoughts about the upcoming elections?
Clarification/Follow-up by ETWolverine on 01/26/05 11:38 am: Tom, Yeah, I read Podhoretz this morning too. Good article. And he makes a good point. Elliot
Answered By		Answered On
ETWolverine		01/26/05
Looks right now like it will be an 80% turnout rate... which is pretty amazing, when you think about it. The USA only had a 60% turnout rate this past November, and that was extremely high for us. Even Israel, where people live and breath politics, they only average 65% or so. So an 80% turnout is about as good as it gets. That said, there are still a number of pessimists out there who are talking about "disenfranchizement" and that the election will not really be legitimate. They say that since the 20% who will not be participating in the election are from the Sunni Triangle, it is a disenfranchizement of the Sunni population of Iraq. Bullsh*t. Disenfranchisement is when people WANT to vote and are not allowed to do so, or have their votes involuntarily discounted for other than technical reasons. In the case of the Sunnis, they DON'T WANT TO VOTE. They are not being disenfranchized, they are refusing to vote because they hate democracy. That's not disenfrachizement, that's personal choice. It would be as if we were saying that the American elections are illegitimate because 50% of eligible voters choose not to vote. That statement would be just as untrue as the accusations of disenfranchizement. In any case, Sunday will be a huge day for Iraq. Zarqawi will suffer a worse defeat than any we could possibly deal him on the battlefield. Iraq will choose its own leaders and become a Democracy. From that point on, anything that Zarqawi and his goon squad do will be a moot point, in terms of the future of Iraq. Sure they can continue to bomb stuff, and they can continue to kidnap people. But they can't change the path of Iraq. The war against the terrorists will have been won in every way that matters... it will all be over except the shooting. (Not that I want the shooting to continue...) Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq are effectively all Democracies now. Who's next? Iran? Syria? Time will tell. But we are living in interesting times, politically speaking... times with huge potential and huge opportunities. Elliot

Additional Options and ratings are only visible when you login!