The Republicans act like Allawi is an elected leader,

[elperromagico]

and that for Kerry to criticize him is a slight against the Iraqi people.

Allawi is an appointee of the Bush administration, who for 33 years hasn't lived in the land he's currently supposed to govern. He would be Constitutionally ineligible to be President of the United States under similar circumstances. And on the off chance that there are elections in Iraq in January, I seriously doubt Allawi will win - assuming a fair race.

The Republicans ought to stop pretending that Allawi represents the interests or the will of the Iraqi people.

[prodigal_green]

1. They're used to it

they've been acting like the chimp was elected too.

[jeff30997]

2. I think Allawi will "win".

If they can rig an election in the US they certainly won't have problems in Iraq.

[liberal N proud]

3. My thoughts exactly!

[elperromagico]

4. Yes, it'll probably be engineered like Putin's win in Russia. n/t

[whistle]

5. Appointed, elected what's the difference? We've had a republican't...

...(p)Resident of the White House for the last four years and he wasn't elected by the people either.

[kwolf68]

6. Well

In their world

Elected leaders=Bad (what about Venezuala?)

Appointed leaders=Good

[Avalux]

7. Allawi will win -

who else will be allowed to run against him? They plan on having elections in January and so far, we haven't heard of any other candidates. SHAM.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. Since voting will only be allowed in the secured "Green Zone"

you may be right.

[dogtag]

8. I love the concept: The entire country doesn't need to vote.

Yeah, Iraq can have its own Florida. That should be the new RNC slogan: "The entire country doesn't need to vote, just those places we select."

[buycitgo]

9. this is EXACTLY the point of response the femmydems (ouch) need to

employ against this line of attack: Allawi is NOT in any way, shape, of form representative of the Iraqi people. He's becoming more and more unpopular as the days go by. After about a month's honeymoon after his installation, the people there are getting SICK of his acting as another figurehead for the US powers that be. Are he and Bush conjoined twins, or what?

why aren't they MAKING this point?

is it just so obvious that is doesn't need to be expressed? I don't think so; most Americans probably don't even know who he is.....a rather large percentage don't even know who their congressperson is.

[Hard Attack]

10. I was personally Sickened with the Applause Allawi recieved

I was personally Sickened with the Applause Allawi recieved.

This guy is a former Contract Killer for Saddam Hussein.

Fine, he is the tough guy they need to try to get a grip of things, great.

But to put him before Congress, an honor that has been given to men like Winston Churchill, to this guy who hasn't been living in Iraq all of these years, please, the whole incident sickened me.

I was impressed Kerry had the balls to confront that charade of propaganda.

[w13rd0]

11. They think Bush is...

..."an elected leader" too. They are living in a fantasy land.

[Buck Rabbit]

12. Doesn't "Allawi" translate into

"Carpetbagger"?

[buycitgo]

14. NO!

"conjoined puppet"