Voting Machines in Iraq election! Hmmm, wonder if Iraqis will trust them?

[kuozzman]

For some reason, I think Iraqis will have a little bit of a different reaction to "irregularities" than we in the U.S.
Publication: AFP Agence France Presse - News
Provider: AFP - Agence France Presse
Date: December 7, 2004 (21:29)

Canada to host Iraq election forum

OTTAWA, Dec 7 (AFP) - Canada will host later this month a forum of international election experts in the run-up to Iraq's January vote, Elections Canada announced Tuesday.

"The forum's participants will predominantly include electoral process experts who are members of independent commissions and experts from Arab countries," Elections Canada said in a statement.

The United Nations and the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq have approved the December 19-20 meeting in Ottawa, said Canada's chief elections officer, Jean-Pierre Kingsley.

The meeting will be organized in partnership with the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), Elections Canada spokeswoman Miriam Gennaro told AFP. She said the international forum would work on the nuts and bolts of holding an election, such as the use of voting machines.

The statement said that the meeting had two main objectives, to review preparations for the January 30 vote and to discuss the particulars of international observers.

IFES was created in 1987 to promote democratic transitions around the world, and has been assisting the Iraqi interim government. Though international agencies have expressed concern about the possibility of holding January elections in Iraq, which is engulfed in violence despite a 21-month, US-led occupation.

US President George W. Bush repeated on Tuesday his desire for elections to go ahead as planned, as Russian President Vladimir Putin doubted it could be done under "total occupation." Elections Canada could not yet confirm the participants.

Canada, which opposed the US intervention in Iraq, was ready to participate in the elections monitoring operation, Prime Minister Paul Martin said. Ottawa has donated 300 million dollars (249 million US) to rebuild Iraq, and 20 million dollars (16.6 million US) for elections.

[eridani]

1. WTF!!! Canada uses paper!

If that's good enough for them, it should be good enough for Iraq.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Breaking News

PM Iyad Allawi won the election today by a landslide.

We are happy to report that Iraqis have now given him a clear mandate.

____________________________

Expect a headline like that soon

[bklyncowgirl]

3. Did they get them from Ohio?

Maybe they can send Blackwell to supervise the election.