Top US commander predicts disrupted Iraqi elections, violent aftermath

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=5&u=/afp/20050117/ts_afp/iraq_050117080108

BAGHDAD (AFP) - The top US military official in Iraq (news - web sites) predicted the landmark January 30 general elections would be disrupted by insurgent attacks, and the level of violence would continue unabated even after the polls.

"We and the Iraqi Security Forces will do everything in our power to ensure that the average Iraqi can go out and vote safely. Is there going to be violence on Election Day? There is," General George W. Casey, commanding general of the US-dominated multinational forces in Iraq.

"Violence will stay at about the same level for some time. Insurgencies, historically, take a long time to defeat." snip

Hundreds of Sadr followers from across Iraq gathered in front of the oil ministry in Baghdad, some of them oil workers waving lanterns and wearing orange jumpsuits, to protest against oil and electricity shortages.

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[LynnTheDem]

1. Iraqis, without electricity and in a raging war zone of a nation occupied

by a foreign army (yes, that's American troops) KNOW MORE about what's going on in the world than any rightwingnut Americans know.

Wanna bet rightwingnut Americans don't have a clue what the significance of the orange jumpsuits is?

[catgirl]

3. Rightwing americans don't have a clue

about anything. They still think Keric stepped down because
of the BS nanny excuse. We don't have free press and people
believe what they read in the papers. Even the New York Times
is corrupt.

[izzie]

2. But the Christians will come and save them all.

--

[saigon68]

16. Jay Zeus will appear at a concert in Baghdad

Thousands of US Fundy Nut Cases will scamble for tickets to see Him !!!

I wonder who his Road manager is?

[NYC]

4. I read about those protests, but didn't know

about the orange jumpsuits. They weren't mentioned in the article I read.

[jayfish]

5. Hmmm... What Do Orange...

jumpsuits have to do with "oil and electricity shortages?" Way to go AFP! Whoever the f you are.

Jay

[bemildred]

6. Today's "No shit, Sherlock!" award.

Hands down.

[TahitiNut]

13. I call it the KSOTO Award

(Keen Sense Of The Obvious.)

[fob]

14. I'll add that the results of the "NFS" Award were also unanimous

NFS = No Fucking Shit!

[DavidDvorkin]

7. Am I tired of these people imitating Rumsfeld's speaking style?

Yes, I am.

Does it show that they're bootlickers and lapdogs?

Yes, it does.

Should they all be assigned to cleaning toilets?

Yes, they should.

[Just Me]

10. It demonstrates how well-oiled & polished is the propaganda machine.

They have it tuned to a fine art.

Yes?

[leesa]

8. Ya think? An 8 year old child could predict this.

[leftchick]

9. He needs a fucking history lesson!

"Insurgencies, historically, take a long time to defeat." ...

Oh really general? Name me ONE "insurgency"(aka:occupation resistance!) the USA has defeated! Hell name one France or England has defeated!

[Just Me]

11. They MISLEADINGLY compare to post WWII contingencies.

Whereas, this involves a war of aggression, occupation and permanent control over a sovereign nation which involves a nationalist resistence/rebellion against the same,...not an "insurgency".

[radric]

12. Going to have to leave it to the Kurds and Shi'a to..

end the insurgency after the elections. Get the US troops out of there and let them handle the reordering of Iraq.

[Igel]

17. Phillipines? n/t

[leftchick]

20. the US left the Philipines with "Democracy"...

ROFLMAO.....

[NickB79]

25. The only ones I can think of involved Native Americans

But we played pretty dirty in those battles, devastating their populations with introduced diseases and wiping out the buffalo to starve them into submission. We also had the advantage of hundreds of years of technological advancement on them. What we did then was genocide, pure and simple, and would never go unpunished today, so that option is out for the neocons (I hope).

[uppityperson]

15. Duh.

You think these people don't want us there, helping stablilize their country after freeing them? I have an son almost draft age, have started the process to apply for local draft board. f*

[indepat]

18. Could someone remind me again what will be gained by having elections

under such conditions?

[daleo]

19. It gives Bush a "Mission Accomplished" moment.

The press will pretend it's not bullshit. That's about it.

[TahitiNut]

21. After an "election" it'll be their fault.

It's blame-shifting Kabuki. Blame the puppets.

[Massachusetts]

22. "Top US commander predicts disrupted Iraqi elections, violent aftermath"

In Iraq or the U.S.?

[candy331]

23. And Mrs Collins(the real predictor) says she doesn't know these lying

fake predictors.

[sendero]

24. I don't know whether to ...

... chide him for stating the absolutely obvious or praise him for being honest.

Either way, it doesn't take a guru to see what is going to happen in Iraq for the foreseeable future.