Violence Sows Fear of Voting Among Iraqis

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040921/wl_nm/iraq_fear_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480


<snip>


"I don't think there will be elections," said Salih Abdul Aziz, a 30-year-old Baghdad electronics merchant. "How could we go to voting centers when we fear for our own safety? I'm afraid of just going to police stations."


Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi insists the polls, which form the backbone of Washington declared plan to create a democratic Iraq (news - web sites) capable of standing on its own two feet, will go ahead in January despite rapidly deteriorating security.


But Aziz, who like most Iraqis has had to watch the almost daily carnage of attacks on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, accuses political leaders of living in a fantasy world.


"Each time government officials appear on TV saying elections will be held on time, I say to myself: 'Are they living in Iraq? Are they Iraqis? How could they hold elections in such a situation?"' he said.

[G_j]

1. But..

Bush says they are "marching toward freedom".

Annan states it would be doubtful if credible elections can be held, but who cares about that? :shrug:

[soup]

2. and "turning the corner"

Didn't *george ask for 13 million for zip codes?

Heck, why not just vote absentee if they're afraid to leave their bombed out homes?