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The Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission declared Saturday that about 70 ballot stations have not opened in Anbar, western Iraq for security reasons.
Member of the commission, Hussein Al-Hindawi said in a press conference that 60 out of 209 polling stations have not opened in Anbar for security reasons whereas the other stations, especially in Fallujah and eastern Ramadi have opened.
Continued....
Originally posted by marg6043
Democracy in Iraq only applies to the people that are nice and friendly to the US anybody else are "insurgents"
PS arch, if it requires no Coalition soldeirs in the are could you suggest a solution?
Originally posted by stumason
he does have a point. The constitution, if you can call it that, is most likely to be rejected by the Sunnis, as they are being sidelined. For the vote to have a load of polling stations closed, in a largely Sunni province is a bit fishy.....
Originally posted by ArchAngel
You cannot create a new constitution under occupation, and expect it to be considered legitimate.
Originally posted by cjf
Where is the news/facts on these polls being ‘mysteriously’ closing/not opening/not available etc etc other than another allured to in a 'less than' 20 line squib, the posters opinion and your comment?
RAMADI, Iraq (Reuters) - Hours before a crucial referendum on a new constitution, voters in western Iraq, where many are expected to say "No," were asking themselves a troubling question: where are the polling stations?
"There are no voting centers in cities like Haditha, Hit, Rawa, Qaim, Ana, Baghdadi and the villages around them," Mahmoud Salman al-Ani, a human rights activist in Ramadi, said on Friday, listing locations across western Anbar province.
"There aren't actually any voting centers or even voting sheets in these cities ... Nobody knows how and where to vote if they decide to," he said of the predominantly Sunni Arab region.
Co ntinued....
Originally posted by ArchAngel
I was waiting for you to edit this, but enough time has passed.
I have no idea what you are saying....
Originally posted by devilwasp
If it requires Coalition soldiers to leave then could you suggest a solution to that problem?
Originally posted by ArchAngel
I did not say it was required, only that it would not be perceived as legitimate wile they are occupied, and Bush would agree.
All Syrian military forces and intelligence personnel must withdraw before the Lebanese elections for those elections to be free and fair.
The solution could be just what we demanded from Syria.
Or do you think its not fair if we have to do what we demand of others?
"Do as I say not as I do"
Originally posted by ArchAngel
Is Reuters a reputable source?
U.S. troops have run a series of operations across the province in the past three weeks, trying to hunt down guerrillas and prepare the generally lawless region for the vote.....
Sunnis Join Millions for Iraq Charter Vote
About 250 polling stations did not open because of technical or security problems, election officials said.
(Link)
UN hails "incredibly peaceful" Iraq vote
"The process has gone smoothly and well from a technical point of view," said Carina Perelli, the head of the U.N. team providing technical assistance to the Iraqi government….
….In areas like the insurgent stronghold of Anbar province in the west, she said the difficulty for voters of casting a ballot in the conflict zone or where militants were intimidating people against voting had been recognised by waiving regulations that people must vote at a specific polling station near their home.
(Link)
Large Turnout for Iraq Constitution Vote
The minimal turnout in Anbar — as in the January election — suggested the key battleground between U.S.-Iraqi forces and insurgents, would remain alienated from the political process.
(Link)
.....In Ramadi, a group of residents said they had walked around their neighborhood looking for a voting center and not found one….
Originally posted by ArchAngel
No Polling Places in Many Sunni Cities
Overall turnout in the vote, which passed off relatively peacefully, was more than 60% of the 15.5m voters.
Originally posted by Bikereddie
Originally posted by ArchAngel
No Polling Places in Many Sunni Cities
Maybe this says differant?Millions of ballots are being counted in Iraq
From the BBC
Overall turnout in the vote, which passed off relatively peacefully, was more than 60% of the 15.5m voters.
I would say that is pretty good, wouldn't you?
Originally posted by ArchAngel
If 250+ Polling stations did not open then I would not say it is pretty good.
Originally posted by ArchAngelIt stinks reflecting the reality.
Originally posted by ArchAngelSelective voting is not democracy.
Originally posted by ArchAngelIraqs future hangs on this vote being legitimate, and it was not...
Why wasn't it? Enlighten me here please..
Originally posted by ArchAngel
Why wasn't it? Enlighten me here please..
Look back to the one line of mine you did not quote.
That is the reason, and the reference is above.
If 250+ Polling stations did not open the vote was not legitimate.
About 250 polling stations did not open