This seemed to be a rather odd way of calming fears regarding electoral fraud:
Sunni Arab political leaders asked the main Shiite political block today to give them 10 Shiite seats in the new parliament in an early attempt to defuse tensions over the results of last week’s election. The Shiites refused the request.
A small committee headed by two independent Sunnis – Noori Arawi, Iraq’s outgoing culture minister, and Zuhair Chalabi, the minister of human rights – met with members of the Shiite group, the United Iraqi Alliance, and relayed the request on behalf of the Sunni parties, said Sami al-Askari, an alliance member who was briefed on the meeting.
It was not clear that Iraqi election rules would permit such a seat donation.
I am not sure how just ‘giving’ seats away makes people feel more confident about the election. I understand the Sunni’s feel they have been screwed, but think how the Shi’ite majority would feel if ten of their seats were given away. Would you be happy if the GOP decided to give away ten seats in the House of Representatives to the Democrats because the Democrats cried fraud (or vice versa)?
I think I know your answer already. The way to inspire confidence iun the outcome of elections is to have clear, open, and transparent elections.
tbrosz
Iraq the Model has been tracking all this quite closely. Can’t vouch for accuracy, and frankly, I’m having trouble following the back and forth.
Still, it seems to me that a lot of the people involved are trying to solve this in the Arab way: get together someplace and strike some kind of deal. Iraq isn’t America.
ats
Keep in mind, there are far fewer people who want the US to win this war than there are those who were keen to have us simply in it. Iran, Israel, even Syria can hardly mind seeing Iraq erased as a threat, but building a free, united democratic Iraq is another matter.
It is really that simple. Ask yourself who benefits from what.
As a corollary, ask yourself who would benefit from an upcomimg attack on Iran.
Meanwhile, in Bolivia . . . .
Sagredo
I agree. Maybe when (and if) they figure this out they can give us a helping hand with our own electoral syatem. Allah knows that we could use it.
Zifnab
In the US House of Representatives, where a majority of a handful of seats means complete dominance of the body, I could see situations in which a massive majority could lead to ‘token’ donations of this sort. Of course, how these donations would occur is beyond me. How do you tell the people of R-Podunk, Indiana that the guy they elected to office is going to be replaced by a Democrat because of a deal the majority leader cut in a closed session of Congress. Nothing, in my mind, could be less democratic.
Of course, this is a mentality that reflects how at least some Iraqis view their country. Seats are not won by charismatic politicians, but to their parties. The claim is that the balloters didn’t choose between Dick and Tom Iraqi, but between faceless Shi’ite Candidate A and faceless Sunni Candidate B. And thus we can just toss out one group of faceless candidates for another.
Anyone from a district with a beloved Congressman or hometown Senator would instantly rebel at the idea that the party somehow has more say over who you elect than you do. Propositions like this seem to indicate that Iraqis have yet to learn what a democracy really is.
Steve S
tbrosz is correct. This is the way of the middle east.
John, have you ever watched the movie Lawrence of Arabia?
Bob In Pacifica
Who benefits from a U.S. attack on Iran? Iran.
Sojourner
The SC gave the presidency to the Repubs in 2000. That was a bad idea. I wouldn’t wish the same crap on the Iraqis.
p.lukasiak
Is tim on vacation or something? John has been way too sane of late.
tbrosz
There might be at least some support for negotiated election results here in the U.S.:
“We’ve become like the House of Commons. Whoever has the most votes wins. It hasn’t worked that way in 216 years”
– Harry Reid.
Perry Como
The Iraqi Supreme Court should decide the issue.
John Cole
I think I am insulted.
p.lukasiak
I think I am insulted.
John, how can someone who is whoring for Pajamas Media consider anything that I say an insult? Its not like you have any standards left to insult at this point….
Tequila
Zifnab,
That is exactly how the Iraqi elections system is set up. No one knows at all who their representative for their district is, and no one voted for any single candidate. They voted by party lists, not by candidate. All elections are not set up like American elections.
Shygetz
That’s ok, John. I still think you’re nuts.
flotilla
If there had been massive election fraud in Iraq, Jimmy Carter would have certified it. Thus, the election must have been essentially legitimate (as elections go).
Steve S
Huh!?
Is Republicanism a sideeffect of Oxycontin overdosing? Just curious, because some of these arguments are just baffling.
les
The apparent disqualification of Sunni candidates after the election (http://tinyurl.com/8vwvn) should add nicley to the mix. How will they jawbone that one?