Let's see, we've turned over power to an interim government, elections are "on track", Iraqi security forces are improving, Fallujiah residents are turning on the foreign jihadist... Yep, it's a qaugmire...
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Preparations for the crucial January election are "on track" and the absence of international observers due to the country's tenuous security should not detract from the vote's credibility, the top U.N. electoral expert here said.Bonus points to Valenzuela for honesty and candor...The January election is seen as a major step in Iraq's path to democratic rule. The United States, which formally ended its occupation of Iraq in June but still wields vast influence, sees the vote as a key step toward establishing a stable government.
"International observation is important only in that it's symbolic," Carlos Valenzuela told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday. "I don't think that the process will be less credible without observers, absolutely not. They are not the essence. They are not essential. They are not important. If they can come, fine, of course."
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Comments (4)
Valenzuela must be new to t... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Mikey | October 22, 2004 12:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Valenzuela must be new to the job.
1. Posted by Mikey | October 22, 2004 12:06 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 22, 2004 12:06
2. Posted by Hunter | October 22, 2004 12:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
- The Islamists are looking over their shoulders aware of the transition that has taken place in their one time "safe house" country Afghanistan, having more or less given up the ghost in that fight....
- Something has to be up with the recent public statements of the Al Qa'ida leadership in Iraq pledging fealty to Bin Laden out of the blue. Not to long ago this Saudi Northern arm of the fundamentalists was making sounds of taking the lead. Is Osama dead. We haven't heard or seen anything of the Major Jihadist player in this war for many months now. Several of his closest advisor's have been killed or captured by the Pakistanis....
- The UN is quietly shifting its rhetoric back toward support in Iraq as the dire picture painted by the Kerry election camp fails to materialize, and the prospects of pulling off successful elections in January continue to improve...
- Kofi Annan has his hands full dealing with the OFF internal UN scandal saying today that if the charges are true it would be a "bad thing" for the security council but that he didn't believe it...even as Paul Volcker is issuing a list of the names of hundreds of duplicitous companies that gave and took oil voucher kickbacks in camp with Hussein....
- Kerry's people must be counting the days to the American election hoping nothing else "good" happens between now and then for Bush...
2. Posted by Hunter | October 22, 2004 12:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 22, 2004 12:17
3. Posted by Jim | October 22, 2004 4:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
They just don't make quagmires like they used to.
3. Posted by Jim | October 22, 2004 4:25 PM |
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Posted on October 22, 2004 16:25
4. Posted by Jim | October 22, 2004 4:30 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hunter, Bush had good news in New Jersey today: The labor stats show that NJ has the highest employment in history (4 million jobs) and their unemployment rate is 4.3%, lower than the national 5.4%. The latest poll in Jersey shows Kerry ahead by 2 percentage points in a state he thought he had in the bag. Now it looks like a statistical tie. The good news for Bush includes the fact that support for Bush by GOP voters is strong and they're fired up, while support for Kerry is soft and the worry is voters will skip the trek to the voting booths.
4. Posted by Jim | October 22, 2004 4:30 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 22, 2004 16:30