Official Iraqi Election Thread

[CaptainChewbacca]

Just keeping it here, to make sure the thread doesn't get cluttered.

So far turnout is heavy, bombings are light, at least compared to the promised 400.

[CJvR]

The early terrorist attacks, mainly in Bagdad for the benefit of the world media, don't seem to have been followed up. Hopefully the terrorists have fired their shot, and if so it seems rather feeble. Now the turnout is the most intresting thing, 60-70% would be a nice victory for the good guys.

[RedImperator]

There's been talk over the last few days that the Sunnis have quietly dropped the boycott now that it's apparent it won't get the election postponed. Whether that means John Q. Sunni is going to take his life in his hands by going to the polls is still an open question; I imagine a lot of them will wait until late in the day to make a decision.

[PeZook]

Just checked CNN, officials say the turnout was about 72 percent.

That's higher than the last election in my country, and nobody's threatening to kill voters here...

[MKSheppard]

This is from a good friend of mine, Senior USAF NCO, whom i can confirm works at SOCOM in Tampa:

"I'm sitting here in the Intel Watch, watching Predator feed live. It's 0945 in Iraq, and the Pred has flown over three polling places so far...and the lines are huge. There are people - LOTS of people - coming into the frame from just off the field of view, and they keep coming. They are standing in a line that any American voter would give up on...and they are under a serious, credible death threat for just being there.

I admire what I am seeing, and I'm proud to have contributed to this. If anybody (including Senator Kennedy) wants to know what it has all been about, what we thought we would accomplish...he should see the view that I have RIGHT NOW.

I love this job. I love feeling like I have done something good with my life."

[MKSheppard]

Linka

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Some came on crutches, others walked for miles then struggled to read the ballot, but across Iraq, millions turned out to vote Sunday, defying insurgents who threatened a bloodbath.

Suicide bombs and mortars killed at least 27 people, but voters still came out in force for the first multi-party poll in 50 years. In some places they cheered with joy at their first chance to cast a free vote, in others they shared chocolates.

Even in Falluja, the Sunni city west of Baghdad that was a militant stronghold until a U.S. assault in November, a steady stream of people turned out, confounding expectations. Lines of veiled women clutching their papers waited to vote.

"We want to be like other Iraqis, we don't want to always be in opposition," said Ahmed Jassim, smiling after he voted.

In Baquba, a rebellious city northeast of Baghdad, spirited crowds clapped and cheered at one voting station. In Mosul, scene of some of the worst insurgent attacks in recent months, U.S. and local officials said turnout was surprisingly high.

One of the first to vote was President Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni Muslim Arab with a large tribal following, who cast his ballot inside Baghdad's fortress-like Green Zone.

"Thanks be to God," he told reporters, emerging from the booth with his right index finger stained with bright blue ink to show he had voted. "I hope everyone will go out and vote."

In the relatively secure Kurdish north, people flowed steadily to the polls. One illiterate man in Arbil, 76-year-old Said Rasool, came alone and was turned away, unable to read the ballot paper. He said he would return with someone to help.

Even in the so-called "triangle of death," a hotbed of Sunni insurgency south of Baghdad, turnout was solid, officials said.

FESTIVE VOTING

In mainly Shi'ite Basra, Iraq's second biggest city, hundreds of voters queued patiently at polling centers. "I am not afraid," said Samir Khalil Ibrahim. "This is like a festival for all Iraqis."

A small group cheered in Baghdad as Sharif Ali bin al-Hussein, a descendant of Iraq's last king, went to the polls. Ali leads a constitutional monarchy slate in the election.

Western Baghdad polling stations were busy, with long queues of voters. Most went about the process routinely, filling in their ballots and leaving quickly without much emotion.

Others brought chocolates for those waiting in line, and shared festive juice drinks inside the voting station.

Samir Hassan, 32, who lost his leg in a car bomb blast in October, was determined to vote. "I would have crawled here if I had to. I don't want terrorists to kill other Iraqis like they tried to kill me. Today I am voting for peace," he said, leaning on his metal crutches, determination in his reddened eyes.

In Sadr City, a poor Shi'ite neighborhood of northeast Baghdad, thick lines of voters turned out, women in black abaya robes in one line, men in another.

Some of the first to vote countrywide were policemen, out in force to protect polling centers from attack, part of draconian security measures put in place by U.S. and Iraqi officials.

In Samarra, a restive Sunni-Shi'ite city north of Baghdad, the crackle of gunfire was heard minutes after polls opened.

After a few hours, only about 100 people had voted at one of two polling sites. One woman, covered head-to-toe in black robes, kept her face concealed, but said she voted with pride.

In nearby Baiji, some people were unable to vote because electoral officials failed to turn up. "We are waiting for the manager with the key," said an election worker, apologizing.

"VOTE FOR HUMANITY"

In the shrine city of Najaf in the Shi'ite heartland, hundreds of people walked calmly to polling stations. Security around Najaf, attacked before, was some of the tightest.

"This is a wedding for all Iraqis. I congratulate all Iraqis on their newfound freedom and democracy," said Jaida Hamza, dressed in a black Islamic veil that also hid her face.

Shi'ites, who make up 60 percent of Iraq's people, are expected to win the vote, overturning years of oppression.

In Kirkuk, a city divided between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, Kurds turned out in force, as expected, but there were signs Arabs and Turkmen were boycotting, angered by what they see as voting rules that favor Kurds.

One of the biggest surprises was Mosul, a mixed Sunni Arab and Kurd city in the far north. "So far it's gone very well, much better than expected," said a U.S. army officer.

Baghdad's mayor was overcome with emotion by the turnout of voters at City Hall, where he said thousands were celebrating.

"I cannot describe what I am seeing. It is incredible. This is a vote for the future, for the children, for the rule of law, for humanity, for love," Alaa al-Tamimi told Reuters.

[Robert Walper]

Regardless on how anyone feels about the Iraq war and it's implications, I don't see how anyone could object to the apparent joy and eagerness the Iraqi people are displaying with their new found freedom to vote.

It's a good reminder to those of us, including myself, who take voting for granted and in alot of cases don't bother. Something so simple as having your say, and alot of these people are finally enjoying it after decades of oppression. It's a proud moment. Hopefully it's not a futile one.

[Master of Ossus]

This is CNN's take on it. The 72% turnout seems to have been highly informal and unofficial, but the turnout was higher than expected.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Polls have closed and ballot counting has begun after Iraq's first free election in a half century, with officials reporting a higher than expected turnout of registered voters amid attacks and threats of violence.

Insurgents carried out more than a dozen attacks across the country on Sunday, killing at least 25 people and wounding 71 others.

President Bush was expected to comment on the elections at 1 p.m. ET. On Saturday, during Bush's weekly radio address, the president said elections wouldn't end the U.S. mission there. (Full story)

At least eight suicide bombings took place during the voting. There are reports of a ninth, but CNN has not confirmed those reports.

There were eight other types of attacks as well, including one in which insurgents identified Iraqi civilians as having voted -- based on the ink on their fingers -- and threw grenades at them, killing them.

A British Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules plane also crashed Sunday in Iraq, the British Ministry of Defense said. There was no immediate word on casualties. It was not clear how many people were on the plane.

U.S. military officials said the crash took place about 25 miles north of Baghdad, near Balad. Search-and-rescue operations are under way.

U.S. commanders expecting a greater level of violence said they were pleasantly surprised that their security operation had paid off, CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour reported from the Iraqi capital.

The Independent Election Commission of Iraq clarified an earlier estimate of a 72 percent turnout in Sunday's election, saying that the "figures are only very rough, word-of-mouth estimates gathered informally from the field."

"It will take some time for the IECI to issue accurate figures on turnout," the statement said. "What is certainly the case is that turnout has exceeded expectations throughout the country."

More than 14.2 million Iraqis were registered for the vote. Polls have closed, although voters who were in line at the time of poll closings were being allowed to cast their ballots.

U.N. election organizer Carlos Valezuela told CNN that while he was "happy with the turnout," it was too early to report numbers.

"I would rather until we have much better reporting to be able to come up with figures," he said.

CNN correspondents reported that turnout was sporadic across the nation after 30,000 polling booths opened at 7 a.m. on Sunday (11 p.m. ET Saturday) under the watchful eye of Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops. Voting ended at 5 p.m. (9 a.m. Sunday ET).

In former president Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, polling stations were virtually empty. But in other parts of the country booths were packed with people casting their ballots, many of them for the first time in their lifetime.

In the northeastern town of Baquba, CNN's Jane Arraf found a polling station where a long line of Iraqi voters chanted and clapped their hands in front of the camera.

One voter told Arraf that Sunday's vote was a "bullet in the heart of the enemy."

Further north in the Kurdistan town of Salamanca, CNN's Nic Robertson reported seeing a 90-year-old woman being taken to a booth in a wheelbarrow. Others came on crutches to cast their ballot.

In the southern city of Basra, ITN's Juliet Bremner reported that turnout was almost 90 percent. She said voting was peaceful and orderly with elated Shias -- oppressed for decades under Saddam -- "determined to cast their votes in their desire for freedom, peace and food."

A statement posted on several Islamic Web sites, purportedly from a group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks on polling areas in Baghdad as well as attacks in other areas of Iraq.

The statement said the group had promised to conduct the attacks "to make fun of those that demand democracy."

Insurgents in the capital had earlier distributed fliers warning citizens against participating in the election, claiming they would "wash Baghdad streets with voters' blood."

Eight suicide bombers struck in Baghdad, leaving 11 dead and at least 47 wounded. Other attacks, including the Sheikh Mar'rof attack, killed 10 and wounded six in Baghdad, Mosul and Balad, 50 miles north of the capital. Another blast killed three and wounded 14 on a bus near Hilla south of Baghdad.(Full story)

Leading the way
Sabah Kadim, a senior adviser in Iraq's Interior Ministry, shrugged off the string of attacks in a CNN interview.

"We have [terrorists] today, we had them yesterday, we will have them tomorrow," he said. "The difference will be that the Iraqi people have elected a government that is legitimate that will be much stronger in dealing with them."

Ashraf Qazi, the United Nations special representative for Iraq, said most, if not all, the country's polling stations were open and functioning -- and even at the ones where explosions occurred, voting resumed quickly.

"It's still early to predict what the ultimate outcome will be, but the initial reports coming in indicate, nationwide, a very good response," he told CNN.

Interim President Ghazi al-Yawer was among the first to vote on Sunday, saying he hoped the vote would be the first step towards a democracy that Iraqis will be proud of.

"Deep in my heart, I feel that Iraqis deserve free elections," al-Yawer said after voting in Baghdad.

He was followed hours later by Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who cast his vote donning his glasses and smiling as he dipped his finger in ink.

As the voting began, the looming question was how many of the 14.2 million Iraqis registered to vote would cast ballots amid vows by insurgents to "wash" the streets with "voters' blood."

Of particular concern was the turnout of Sunnis in central Iraq, where the violence has been most pronounced in the past few weeks.

Iraqi officials had urged voters not to let the threat deter them from exercising the democratic right to choose their leaders.

In Baghdad alone, 15,000 U.S. soldiers were on patrol amid travel and weapons bans, and sealed airspace and borders. (Full story)

Iraqi expatriates in 14 countries, including the United States, had one last opportunity Sunday to cast votes, as the three-day window for out-of-country voting closed.

Pivotal moment
Iraqis were electing a 275-member transitional National Assembly, which will draft a new constitution and pick the country's next president and two vice presidents. The president, in turn, will select a prime minister.

Voters were also electing members of 18 provincial councils. In addition, residents of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region are electing a Kurdish parliament.

Because of security concerns, names of the 7,000 candidates vying for office were not revealed until the final days of January.

Two broad-based parties -- the United Iraqi Alliance and the Iraqi List -- were expected to lead the pack.

The United Iraqi Alliance is a Shiite-dominated slate of candidates backed by a leading cleric, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

While most of its support comes from the Shiite majority -- about 60 percent of the population -- the alliance also includes some smaller Sunni and Kurdish groups.

The Iraqi List is led by Allawi, who became the face of Iraqi government after sovereignty was restored in June.

Also likely to do well in the vote is the Kurdistan Alliance List, that includes the two main Kurdish political parties and nine smaller Kurdish parties.

Kurds make up less than 20 percent of the population, but they were expected to vote in large numbers because of a generally stable security situation in the northern part of the country, where they are concentrated.

Sunnis, who dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein despite making up less than a quarter of the population, are likely to see an erosion in their political position after the vote.

Not only is the security situation tenuous in many Sunni areas, but also, two influential Sunni groups -- the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Association of Muslim Scholars -- are boycotting the elections.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Jane Arraf, Nic Robertson, Auday Sadeq and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report.

[Master of Ossus]

Just for shits and giggles

Iraqis show mixed response to polls

A number of Mosul's Kurdish residents have defied death threats and an unstable security situation and headed towards the polls, but in some other Iraqi cities no one is voting.

As polls opened across the country, early signs showed a poor turnout of voters in Mosul. US soldiers were seen driving around city blocks asking why residents were not voting.

Despite a heavy US and Iraqi National Guard presence and no civilian vehicular traffic, six explosions rocked the city. The general hospital had no immediate word on casualties.

Voter turnout was heavy in Al-Qadisiya district of the city, however. A polling station for the city's Kurdish population is located in the heart of the district.

Sunni turnout negligible

Polling stations in several towns in Iraq have not opened five hours after nationwide voting started on Sunday, the country's electoral commission said.
"In Latifiya, Mahmudiya and Yusufiya, polling stations have not yet opened their doors," commission spokesman Farid Ayar told reporters.

"As you know, Latifiya, Mahmudiya and Yusufiya are hotspots. We have allowed residents of these areas to vote in the nearest polling station" to the towns, said another member of the commission.

In war-ravaged Falluja, nearly all residents stayed at home despite the presence of five polling stations. Only one man was reported to have voted.

Meanwhile, the head of the local council in Samarra said no citizens would vote because of the poor security situation.

"Nobody will vote in Samarra because of the security situation," said Taha Husain, the head of Samarra's local governing council.

No employees turned up at polling centres in Samarra and police were not to be seen on the streets, an agency correspondent reported.

Kurdish turnout high

While many voters across Iraq were hesitant to venture outside because of a highly volatile security situation and the promise of major attacks, Kurds in Arbil and other northern Iraqi cities have been rushing to polling stations.

Kurdish areas are expected to register the highest turnout in Iraq.

Jalal Talabani, who heads the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and is thought by some to be vying for a top position in the next government, was among the first to vote in Sulaimaniya.

The PUK and the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party of Masud Barzani are running on a common slate which is expected to perform strongly and secure more than 50 seats in the assembly.

Unlike the rest of Iraq, it is not the first time Kurds in the three northern provinces have had the chance to vote in a free election. In 1992, just after the first Gulf war, they elected a regional parliament, and in 1999 they elected three provincial councils.

Political ambitions

But Sunday's vote is likely to be crucial to the Kurds' political ambitions as the 275-member national assembly up for grabs is charged with writing a new constitution for post-Saddam Iraq.

Kurdish leaders want that text to enshrine their hard-fought right to self-rule, and want their existing autonomous region expanded to include the northern oil centre of Kirkuk and parts of two other provinces.

Kurds will also pick their provincial councils and their 111-member autonomous parliament.

Iraqi journalist Abd Allah Ghafar contributed to this article

Reads a little differently than some of the Western news reports, doesn't it?

[brianeyci]

I just wonder how many people went to the polls with the mentality of "Take our country back from the Americans" rather than some general feeling of "freedom".

Brian

[Nathan F]

I think that this right here is what makes it worth fighting for. Seeing people expressing their right to self government, a right that they haven't seen for decades (some have never seen), makes you have a reaffirmed faith in humanity. With voter turnout like this, it reminds us that yes, the war over there might just be winnable and, yes again, the general population might just be glad that we are there.

[brianeyci]

I think that this right here is what makes it worth fighting for. Seeing people expressing their right to self government, a right that they haven't seen for decades (some have never seen), makes you have a reaffirmed faith in humanity. With voter turnout like this, it reminds us that yes, the war over there might just be winnable and, yes again, the general population might just be glad that we are there.

That's a load of bullshit. I saw a poll figure like 90% of Iraqis don't want the Americans there, and Bush's case for war was a load of crap so whether or not it was worth invading Iraq before is not validated by a large voter turnout.

All wishful thinking on your part, the evidence doesn't support the assumption that Iraqis were happy to have their country invaded and certainly doesn't support the assumption that the Iraqis are happy to have the Americans there (whether or not they need them).

Brian

[Mange]

I'm glad that so many chose to vote and didn't let themselves be intimidated by the terrorists and that the number of casualties wasn't higher. I'm only hoping for a future stable Iraq.

[CJvR]

I just wonder how many people went to the polls with the mentality of "Take our country back from the Americans" rather than some general feeling of "freedom"

LOL! Considering the US eagerness to hand Iraq to any sane and stable regime that isn't a bad attitude. The Sunni are mostly pissed because they won't be the Herrenvolk anymore, they might even have to get honest jobs now that the market for torturers and Rapeublican guards have dried up.

The dissapointment over the poor showing of the terrorists and the disloyalty of the Iraqis ot actually vote is rather amusing, just yesterday I came across a fellow who described all the voters as Quisslings.

[Butterbean569]

This whole war has been a fuckup based on a load of bullshit. But, what's done has been done, we can only hope to salvage as much as possible at this point. I'm not saying we should forgive the administration and say "Oh wow you guys were right all along!", but we're in this mess for awhile so we gotta make the best of it.

Things look like they went pretty well today, which is great. There's still a long way to go, but things could be a lot worse than they are now.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I think that this right here is what makes it worth fighting for. Seeing people expressing their right to self government, a right that they haven't seen for decades (some have never seen), makes you have a reaffirmed faith in humanity. With voter turnout like this, it reminds us that yes, the war over there might just be winnable and, yes again, the general population might just be glad that we are there.

That's a load of bullshit. I saw a poll figure like 90% of Iraqis don't want the Americans there, and Bush's case for war was a load of crap so whether or not it was worth invading Iraq before is not validated by a large voter turnout.

All wishful thinking on your part, the evidence doesn't support the assumption that Iraqis were happy to have their country invaded and certainly doesn't support the assumption that the Iraqis are happy to have the Americans there (whether or not they need them).

Brian

I've seen polls that say 70% of Iraqis are glad we're there. What's your source to back your obvious opinion?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Interesting notes-

Iraqi National Guard is kicking ass, arresting a few insurgents and bombers. Also, a bomb went off at a polling station after it closed, killing no one.

[brianeyci]

Well, I couldn't find where I got that 90% figure. Probably exagerrated from something I heard on a 24 hour news network, probably wrong. So I withdraw my "obvious opinion".

But here shows that out of the 32% of people who think Iraq is going in the wrong direction, 53% say it is because of the security situation, and 18% say it is because of the American occupation. What is telling is that for the 68% of people who say Iraq is heading in the right direction, none of reasons listed are "co-operation between the Iraqi government and the American forces" or anything like that, but generalities like "getting rid of the old regime" and "coming elections".

Brian

[Master of Ossus]

Well, I couldn't find where I got that 90% figure. Probably exagerrated from something I heard on a 24 hour news network, probably wrong. So I withdraw my "obvious opinion".

But here shows that out of the 32% of people who think Iraq is going in the wrong direction, 53% say it is because of the security situation, and 18% say it is because of the American occupation.

Actually, it says that the presence of Coalition troops indicates that Iraq is going in the wrong direction. About 6% of the population feels that way.

What is telling is that for the 68% of people who say Iraq is heading in the right direction, none of reasons listed are "co-operation between the Iraqi government and the American forces" or anything like that, but generalities like "getting rid of the old regime" and "coming elections".

Why is that telling?

[brianeyci]

Why is that telling?

If the Iraqis are so elated to have the Americans there, why isn't there a choice which has anything to do with the Americans staying in Iraq?

Anyway, we'll see what happens when the new government forms, if they demand a pull-out date from the Americans or not.

Brian

[Steven Snyder]

Why is that telling?

If the Iraqis are so elated to have the Americans there, why isn't there a choice which has anything to do with the Americans staying in Iraq?

Anyway, we'll see what happens when the new government forms, if they demand a pull-out date from the Americans or not.

Brian

The US has already stated that we will leave if the government of Iraq asks us to. The Iraqi government could have demaned a pull-out in since 2004, and so far they haven't.

Linky

[brianeyci]

The US has already stated that we will leave if the government of Iraq asks us to. The Iraqi government could have demaned a pull-out in since 2004, and so far they haven't.

My point is not to say that the option hasn't been there, the point is that the new Iraqi government may more closely reflect the views of the average Iraqi. If polls are wrong, these views could mean the Americans out sooner rather than later. Also, how can you give the coalition government more credibility than this elected assembly which will draft a new constitution and select a new head of state by themselves and not have one appointed by the Americans?

Brian

[Master of Ossus]

Why is that telling?

If the Iraqis are so elated to have the Americans there, why isn't there a choice which has anything to do with the Americans staying in Iraq?

Because maintaining the status quo is not a sign that things are improving, and thus that Iraq is "moving in the right direction." Every one of the choices they had referred to an improvement over the current situation (ie. "Improving security situation," "Upcoming elections," etc.) and represents a change in the situation. The continued presence of American troops is not a change.

[Coyote]

Bear in mind that when Iraqis say that they dislike the occupation and want us to leave it does not necessarily mean "we hate Americans". They simply don't like the idea of having foreign people that they can't communicate with wandering their land with weapons, and the resultant instability.

They would feel this way regardless of who was there or for what reason. They are glad Saddam is gone and certainly would not want to be living under him today, they wish that it was not necessary to bring in some outside military with shooting going on to make it so, but that is the hand they've been dealt-- so they live with it. Very natural.

The mood will probably change for the better when we are not on their streets as a visible force every day and most of the troops gone, and stability holds.

If America were going to shit and there was anarchy in the streets, a foreign force coming in and stabilizing the situation would be welcomed to an extent... but I'd remaion leery until they left and demonstrated that there were indeed not there to take over.

[Steven Snyder]

My point is not to say that the option hasn't been there, the point is that the new Iraqi government may more closely reflect the views of the average Iraqi.

So the Iraqi's are some monolithic people that all have the same ideas and goals? The people of Iraq include at least three very different ethnic/religious groups. The opinions of the "average" Iraqi change drastically depending on the city you are in. And saying that the Iraqi's of the interim government aren't average Iraqi's is basically saying that they are just puppets for the US, which I would need some evidence to believe.

If polls are wrong, these views could mean the Americans out sooner rather than later.

What polls? Provide a source.

Also, how can you give the coalition government more credibility than this elected assembly which will draft a new constitution and select a new head of state by themselves and not have one appointed by the Americans?

And when the fuck did I say that the coalition government is more credible than a freely elected one?