# The Iraqi Vote Has Begun... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 30, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398 "2005-01-30T07:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/141 "2005-01-31T23:07:23Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Which is all very well. But Bush is _going_ to exploit this as if it retroactively vindicates his every mistep, very blunder, every shading of the truth. He already is. You want to let him get away with that, that’s your business. > > But not this little black duck. I’ll ask again. Is there anything that you find favourable about Iraq in general, the fact they risk their lives to vote mean anything to you? Or do you just want Iraq to fail to prove Bush wrong. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/142 "2005-01-31T23:08:06Z")
> [@Sarah W](#): > > I don’t think it’s fake. There was picture on the news of an Iraqi woman who’d gotten the chance to vote. She was holding her black-inked finger and had this huge grin on her face. ‘Hey, look at me, I got to vote!’ > > That’s got to be the coolest thing ever. You can explain away her disillusionment, then, if [Ahmed Chalabi becomes part of the new government](http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_01_30_atrios_archive.html#110719020644895080), even though hardly anyone thought they were voting for him. From last night’s _Hardball_, NY Times Administration scribe Judith Miller: > [@](#): > > We now are told, according to my sources, that the administration has been reaching out to Mr. Chalabi, to offer him expressions of cooperation and support and according to one report he was even offered a chance to be an interior minister in the new government. So, who’s really running things? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/143 "2005-01-31T23:18:59Z")
I thing the “danger” for these folks is being greatly exaggerated. I don’t believe for a second that they’re “risking their lives to vote.” That angle is all just over-cooked hype from the kool-aid saturated US media. If these people really thought there were in danger they wouldn’t be out there. No courage is involved, we’re just being sold a “story” to make this charade seem more legitimate and populist than it actually is. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/144 "2005-01-31T23:19:51Z")
**High Cheese** , we’ve already had one major incident on this board where a poster claimed definitive but secret information concerning Iraq. I know him, and he actually does work in USAF intel. But in the run-up to the war, he told us repeatedly, on the basis of the intel that he was privy to, that after the invasion, it would be clear as day that Saddam had had WMDs. Needless to say, this turned out not to be the case. So I need a cite, not a reference to intel that you’ve seen but the world hasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/145 "2005-01-31T23:23:29Z")
As I recall, that guy has never returned to the board since then either, and he was awfully arrogant and jerkish in his predictions. ---
**Author:** ![Tigers2B1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc29f/32.png) [@Tigers2B1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tigers2B1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/146 "2005-01-31T23:38:59Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > …If these people really thought there were in danger they wouldn’t be out there. No courage is involved… Pretty presumptuous of you — especially coming from a guy who has, in all probablity, braved little more than a bad rain on voting day. And you guys can’t figure why you lost the US election? Shees - ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/147 "2005-01-31T23:46:15Z")
I’m proud that I voted against the “winner” of the 2004 “election.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/148 "2005-01-31T23:57:08Z")
> [@Tigers2B1](#): > > …And you guys can’t figure why you lost the US election? Shees - You lost too, difference is, we know what we lost, and you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/149 "2005-02-01T00:00:21Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > So, the US wanted appointed caucuses to determine the country’s future, and the shiites (via Sistani) insisted on direct elections, counter to US aims. In what way is that different than what I wrote? The gov’t of Iraq right now is appointed, to be replaced once this newly elected assembly drafts a constitution. No direct (‘federal’) elections yet. Elections were part of the US plan all along, contrary to what you were claiming. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/150 "2005-02-01T00:09:32Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m proud that I voted against the “winner” of the 2004 “election.” So now you’re claiming the votes for the US election were dubious. Your credibility now goes down the toilet… ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/151 "2005-02-01T00:12:27Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I thing the “danger” for these folks is being greatly exaggerated. I don’t believe for a second that they’re “risking their lives to vote.” That angle is all just over-cooked hype from the kool-aid saturated US media. If these people really thought there were in danger they wouldn’t be out there. No courage is involved, we’re just being sold a “story” to make this charade seem more legitimate and populist than it actually is. 40 people died getting suicide bombed, plus security measures tight enough to hold back alot of what the terrorists use, Car bombs. When you live in a state where there is constant danger, what difference would it be when you go to vote? You could easily get killed by an RPG the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/152 "2005-02-01T00:12:49Z")
What credibility? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/153 "2005-02-01T00:19:51Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > 40 people died getting suicide bombed, plus security measures tight enough to hold back alot of what the terrorists use, Car bombs. > > When you live in a state where there is constant danger, what difference would it be when you go to vote? You could easily get killed by an RPG the next day. Exactlly. This is just a normal day to them. If anything it’s probably a little safer than anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/154 "2005-02-01T00:22:15Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Exactlly. This is just a normal day to them. If anything it’s probably a little safer than anything. Don’t you get it, the biggest terrorist in Iraq promised a bloodbath against Iraqi voters, the stakes were very high on the level of turnout, the fact that 8million people came out to choose their voice is very impressive indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/155 "2005-02-01T00:26:33Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > What credibility? Perhaps more to the point, whose toilet? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/156 "2005-02-01T00:43:27Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > Don’t you get it, the biggest terrorist in Iraq promised a bloodbath against Iraqi voters, the stakes were very high on the level of turnout, the fact that 8million people came out to choose their voice is very impressive indeed. Media hype. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/157 "2005-02-01T01:07:10Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Media hype. Which, the ‘promised bloodbath’ or the 8 million turnout? ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/158 "2005-02-01T01:37:22Z")
Well, I heard that Minnesota winters can cast gloom over the brightest of spirits, but this one must be a real bitch. And when it’s finally over, mosquitoes come… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/159 "2005-02-01T01:52:46Z")
Yes, its terrible. Awful, awful cold and gloomy. Stay away. Don’t move here. Especially if you’re from, like, California or New York, one of those. You’d hate it, too cold. Witty, long-legged Nordic beauties who use $5 worth of makeup per year…very overated. Stay away, you’d hate it. Iowa. Iowa is nice. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398/160 "2005-02-01T02:13:07Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Which, the ‘promised bloodbath’ or the 8 million turnout? Both, probably. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-iraqi-vote-has-begun/287398.md?page=9)