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Headlines : IraqIraq Winners Allied With Iran Are the Opposite of U.S. Vision
The dust is still settling around Iraq’s elections. The proposed winners are not who American neo-cons would have like though. It seems Iraqis voted for a neo-con revolution too- Islamic clerics with deep ties to Iran. Just one more miscalculation by the Bush administration in Iraq. Are you surprised?
[Posted By Alias]Republished from The Washington Post
Iraq Winners Allied With Iran Are the Opposite of U.S. Vision
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 14, 2005; Page A08
When the Bush administration decided to invade Iraq two years ago, it envisioned a quick handover to handpicked allies in a secular government that would be the antithesis of Iran’s theocracy — potentially even a foil to Tehran’s regional ambitions.
But, in one of the greatest ironies of the U.S. intervention, Iraqis instead went to the polls and elected a government with a strong religious base — and very close ties to the Islamic republic next door. It is the last thing the administration expected from its costly Iraq policy — $300 billion and counting, U.S. and regional analysts say.
Yesterday, the White House heralded the election and credited the U.S. role. In a statement, President Bush praised Iraqis “for defying terrorist threats and setting their country on the path of democracy and freedom. And I congratulate every candidate who stood for election and those who will take office once the results are certified.”Yet the top two winning parties — which together won more than 70 percent of the vote and are expected to name Iraq’s…
Posted by Alias
Just trying to recapture my equilibrium
There is one big problem with this article. The US doesn’t have a vision for Iraq beyond democracy. The Shiites of Iraq are not owned by, nor particularly attached to, Iran’s theocracy. Democracy in Iraq will surprise you and the pundits will all look like fools, as usual.
“The Shiites of Iraq are not owned by, nor particularly attached to, Iran’s theocracy”
Really? Because I’ve read otherwise.
Taken from my Blog:
I in no way agreed with the invasion of Iraq. I do not support Bush or a large portion of his policies. However, I do think that the elections in Iraq where one of the good things to come out of this whole mess. And no matter what your views are, or how you spin it, that election was brought upon by the United States invasion.
Now, before hte elctions, everyone on the Anti-Bush side was claiming these elections would be a total farce and that only an American puppet government would get installed. Well, what do you know, those predictions where way off. The American sympathising party came in 3rd whereas two pro-Iran parties came in first and second respectivley.
So what do the Anti-Bushites do? Create spin of course. Instead of saying “Hey, we were wrong. The Iraqi people chose who they wanted” Noooo. They’re too proud for that. instead they jump all over the fact that the elections went completely against what GW wanted. As is eveident in this article.
The Main problem I have with a lot of anti-bush people is that they only hate the man because it has become cool to do so. A large portion of those who are against bush couldn’t defend there position when truly grilled.
Now another problem I see, and this is on both sides, is that neither side will ever admit to being wrong. The right wing press refuses to give way to how George mislead the country, and the left leaning press refuses to show how these elections where actually a very good thing.
Exactly what type of media revolution is this when all the “news” that comes down the pipe has some sort of spin on it?
So.. why do you disagree with this article?
“Now, before hte elctions, everyone on the Anti-Bush side was claiming these elections would be a total farce and that only an American puppet government would get installed.”
Well then they were half right, it was a total farce. Democracy involves voting on candidates and issues. Iraqi’s voted but blindfolded. Neither Candidates nor Issues were revealed, instead they had a list of essentially blank choices to choose from. That is a farcical version of democracy.