This isn’t a rant, because I am speechless. I mean, I expected a bit of ballot box stuffing, maybe a few soldiers keeping people from voting, maybe a few imams instructing the faithful how to vote, but the sheer scope of this, the chutzpah of it, is staggering.
I’m flashing on the little kid who’s told to go clean his unspeakably filthy room on a Saturday morning. Five minutes later he’s back downstairs, reporting cheerfully, “All done.” Mom goes upstairs to check, and sees that he’s simply shoved the whole mess under the bed. She points to it. He looks at it, doesn’t seem to think anything’s wrong, gives her that big grin. “But, Mom,” he says engagingly, “the room is clean.”
Saddam, grinning engagingly: “But George, we had an election…”
Yep, I’d have to say, this is definitely creative–who’d a thunk they’d come up with something this–brazen–is the only word for it.
Or is it just immature, like the kindergartner who really thinks he’s finessed Mom and the whole room-cleaning thing?
Reminds me of those Wizard of Id cartoons with the voting machine which had large levers with KING and OTHER GUY written on them. Pull the OTHER GUY lever, and a trapdoor opens under your feet, depositing you in the dangeon below.
I’m personally gratified. I know during that last election after the Gulf Way, Saddam faced a crises of confidence. He squeaked by with a mere 99.96% of the vote.
Thanks though through hard work, social programs, and compassionate leadership Saddam has managed to regain the confidence of his feckless minio… err citizens.
Probably the campaigning helped. I understand in baghdad that if you picked up a phone, the dial tone was replaced by a “vote “yes” for Saddam,” recording.