According to CNN
After retching at the "grasping for straws" tonality of the article's title, its body revealed some very fascinating things. After the jump...
First there is this:
They distribute flyers that read: "Participate in the elections to build a strong Iraq" and "Vote! The future is in your hands." But many villagers are not as interested in talking about the elections as they are about the lack of petrol, gas, electricity and work.
We're already off to a bad start, guys.
Then we have:
They say they receive their information about the elections from TV and say no one has campaigned or even hung campaign posters in their community.
Hardly shocking, but that is solid...one of the principles of democracy is clearly zero interaction with those that you are sending to represent you.
Oh, but then you get this:
"We get our information from the TV. But then the power goes out and we have no TV," one man says.
Finally the coup de grace:
Although most say they don't know who the candidates are or where to go to vote, they say they will vote come January 30.
Wait, one more:
"Do you know when the elections are?" Col. Tucker asked a group of five men. "Yes, it's the 29th," one answered.
Fannnnntastic.
Now, we all know this is going on...and we obviously all know that the media spins, distorts, manipulates, and manufactures. But hailing that a group of people is on board with "the concept" of democracy is roughly akin to passing a student in a class because they understand what a test is.
This article, to me, is one of the most damning pieces of journalism for this administration...and while we are on topic, for prospective Secy of State Condi. To raze this country and blindly proceed with these "elections", while hiding behind a faux veil of "democracy" is simply insidious.