"Bush urged Iraqis to vote and to 'defy these terrorists.' He said: 'They're afraid of a free society...' [a fear that any US president could relate to, I'm sure -Ed.] Mr Bush portrayed the Iraq polls as a step towards the goal of defeating tyranny around the world, as he pledged in his inaugural address last week.
"'I firmly planted the flag of liberty for all to see that the United States of America hears their concerns and believes in their aspirations,' he said. 'And I am excited by the challenge and am honoured to be able to lead our nation in the quest of this noble goal, which is freeing people in the name of peace."
Anyhow...
"A veteran counselor in past elections in other countries held under violent conditions, Carina Perelli, the director of the electoral assistance division for the United Nations, said 'Iraqi citizens are faced with a very tough position -- one faced before them by the Timorese voters and the Salvadoran voters and the Afghan voters -- of basically having to confront their fears and their hopes and decide by themselves whether they consider their election important enough in order to risk their lives and go and vote. In an ideal world, it would be good if this dilemma were not present, but unfortunately it is.'
"Ms. Perelli said that 21 million ballots had been printed for the national and local council elections and an additional 4.5 million for the separate vote for the Kurdish assembly in the north.
"She said there would be 5,300 voting centers, all of them staffed by party agents and national poll watchers. 'For us, this is extremely important,' she said, "because it shows that beyond the interest of the various political entities, Iraqi civil society has responded to this challenge and is participating in rather impressive numbers, considering the risks.'"
Post a Comment