Sure looks like alot of peoples didn't read the complete handbook before voting lately. Unfortunately for those who didn't do their homework elections can have very bad results. Perhaps everyone deserves to vote for their government but that doesn't mean they deserve a good outcome. Hopefully the Pentagon will keep these cautionary tales in mind before they roll M-1A1s into Demascus with Diebold machines strapped to the radiators:
Things are not falling into place with the newly elected government in Palestine per
Al Jazeera
...the victory of the Islamist group Hamas in parliamentary elections last month has thrown the Authority's future funding into doubt.
Israel has decided to stop handing over the tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, worth $50 to $55 million a month, because Hamas remains committed by its charter to the destruction of the Jewish state...
The EU, the Palestinian Authority's largest donor, cannot deal directly with Hamas because it has placed the group on its list of banned terrorist organisations...
"The situation is pressing, the financing gap is very serious", a European Commission official said, adding that PA already had a budget deficit of around $70 million a month before Israel decided to withhold its tax revenues...
The EU will continue to give aid to the Palestinians until the new Hamas-led government is formed, but will make further aid conditional on a commitment by the new government to recognise Israel and renounce violence, a senior EU diplomat said...
UN Middle East envoy Alvaro de Soto is also appealing for funds for the Palestinian Authority, warning that an abrupt cut-off of aid could lead to its collapse, and will brief the Security Council on Tuesday...
So where are the Saudis and Persians with the infitada welfare? Democracy 101: You get the government your deserve.
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From the street level the newly elected parliament in Iraq is not doing so well in the "Unity" department. Here reporting from behind a couch is Zeyad
Friday, February 24, 2006
Fierce streetfighting at my doorstep for the last 3 hours. Rumor in the neighbourhood is that men in black are trying to enter the area. Some armed kids defending the local mosque three blocks away are splattering bullets at everything that moves, and someone in the street was shouting for people to prepare for defending themselves.
There's supposed to be a curfew, but it doesn't look like it. My net connection is erratic, so I'll try to update again if possible. The news from other areas in Baghdad are horrible. I don't think it's being reported anywhere.
My father and uncle are agitatedly walking back and forth in the hallway, asking me what we should do if the mob or Interior ministry forces try to attack us in our homes? I have no answer for them.
UPDATE: Apparently, the attackers were fended off in our neighbourhood. The fight ended about 2 hours ago, about the same time electric power returned to our area. Now we are only hearing sporadic gunshots here and there. To have an idea of what was going on, listen to these small audio files I recorded using a cell phone.
News are conflicting. Some say the local National Guard unit (its commander is from our own area) helped repel the assailants. Others say the neighbourhood watch teams clashed with an armed group in several unmarked vehicles...
Sure smells like a Civil War to me. Maybe Sunni's should have been targeting Al Qaida instead of cafeteria workers. Maybe Shiites should have told there Iranian handlers to keep the fuck out of their biznett. Democracy 101: You get the government you deserve.
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Meanwhile the news out of Souix Falls
clearly indicates that battles will be engaged right here throughout 2006:
PIERRE - As the South Dakota House of Representatives gave final approval today to a bill aimed at banning most abortions and creating a U.S. Supreme Court challenge to the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, Gov. Mike Rounds said he's inclined to sign it.
The House gave final approval to the bill with a 50-18 vote Friday afternoon...
"I've indicated I'm pro-life and I do believe abortion is wrong, and that we should do everything we can to save lives," Rounds said. "If this bill accomplishes that, then I am inclined to sign the bill into law."...
The bill would ban nearly all abortions in South Dakota. That's unconstitutional under current U.S. Supreme Court rulings, and the goal of the legislation is to force the high court to take a fresh look at its 1973 ruling that legalized abortion.
Both chambers of the Legislature now have passed the bill, and it could be delivered to the governor by early next week.
If Rounds signs the bill, abortion rights advocates have said they plan to file a lawsuit to keep it from taking effect July 1...
WAIT!! So, you mean to tell me that if we continue to elect bible thumping, rightwing, anti-abortion politicians at the local, state and federal levels they will appoint b.t., r.w., a-a judges and pass b.t., r.w., a-a legistlation? Wake up Nancy, you can't take a "morning after pill" the day after the election and recast the vote you (didn't) make. Democracy 101: You get the government you deserve.
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Wonder what the over/under is on anyone learning from these mistakes?