US set for Iraq election retreat (caves to direct elections)

[papau]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1127635,00.html

US set for Iraq election retreat

Britain now backs early poll

Patrick Wintour, Michael White and Ewen MacAskill
Wednesday January 21, 2004
The Guardian

The US-led coalition in Iraq is on the verge of bowing to Shia Muslim pressure for direct elections before the handover of power on June 30, the Guardian has learned.

According to British officials, the Blair government has been swayed by Shia arguments and the US is also shifting ground.

They believe that Paul Bremer, the US head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) running Iraq, has been persuaded of the need for direct elections, provided it can be shown that they are practicable.

"Iraq could become a reasonably functioning democracy, or else it will eventually fall apart," said one senior British official. "Democracy loosens things up." <snip>

A key factor in the timing of elections in Iraq has been George Bush's determination to have power transferred to Iraqis before the US presidential election in November. <snip>

Whitehall accepts that elections run the risk that Iraq would go the way of the Shia quasi-theocracy in Iran, but believes it is at least as likely that Iran, now gripped by internal political battles, will move towards a more plural regime.

[a_random_joel]

1. Instant Civil War

Shias vs. Sunnis vs. Kurds

Better hope that Syria, Turkey and Iran will all stay on the sidelines.

Or... maybe this is what the NeoCons wanted all along.

[underpants]

2. Damn if only someone had considered that BEFORE we attacked

oh wait they did.

[Homer12]

3. I sure hope they protect the oil fields (n/t)

[catmandu57]

4. I think the neocons are getting what they wanted

Probablly not their wetdream of pax americana, but WWIII started by their hand.

[lagniappe]

5. This is part of the plan.

Bush and company will offer some nice Diebold voting machines to help the election process. That way we can ensure that Paul Bremer is the legitimate, democratically elected leader of Iraq.

[Bandit]

6. I'm sure elections will have similar results to when Saddam had them

99.9% vote for Saddam. Except put in US puppet instead of Saddam and get the same results.

[yowzayowzayowza]

7. Hmmm...

Howz the Empire looken to control Iraqi natural resources under a legitimate government?