According to the bubble boy, the elections in Iraq were "a major milestone" in establishing a democratic ally for the United States in the Middle East" (
Link to Faux News report)...
They were, but not in a good way...
...Islamic fundamentalist movements are ever more powerful in both the Sunni and Shia communities. Ghassan Attiyah, an Iraqi commentator, said: "In two and a half years Bush has succeeded in creating two new Talibans in Iraq."...
So we invaded them for no reason, and now have created two new talibans. Way to go, Chimpy.
Heckuva job, George.
more on the flip
Remember our old buddy
Muqtada al-Sadr? The guy we vowed to "kill or capture"? I guess "kill or capture" was cowboy-code for "elect into high office" or "hand the keys to":
...Mr Sadr will now be one of the most influential leaders within the coalition...
And what ever happened to Ahmed Chalabi, the Bush's favorite Iraqi (until he spied on us for the Iranians)? Turns out he didn't do so well:
...The other main non-religious candidate, Ahmed Chalabi, won less than 1 per cent of the vote in Baghdad and will be lucky to win a single seat in the new 275-member Council of Representatives...
And Chalabi was supposed to bring about a secular democracy, giving the Christians all the rights they deserve. I guess that didn't go so well. I wonder if Mr Bush's followers will approve:
..."People underestimate how religious Iraq has become," said one Iraqi observer. "Iran is really a secular society with a religious leadership, but Iraq will be a religious society with a religious leadership."...
So Iraq will be like Iran, only more religious! Score one for "Faith based initiatives".
But elections make us work together, right?
Nope...
...The break-up of Iraq has been brought closer by the election. The great majority of people who went to the polls voted as Shia, Sunni or Kurds - and not as Iraqis. The forces pulling Iraq apart are stronger than those holding it together. The election, billed by Mr Bush and Mr Blair as the birth of a new Iraqi state may in fact prove to be its funeral...
Maybe the total destruction of the Iraqi state was the goal all along. If so, I guess everything's going according to plan.
But who would benefit from that?...
Hmm.