Comments on: Iraqi Elections

By: Jim Baxter

Jim Baxter — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 23:53:06 +0000

Man is earth’s Choicemaker. Psalm 25:12 He is by nature
and nature’s God a creature of Choice – and of Criteria.
Psalm 119:30,173 His unique and definitive characteristic
is, and of Right ought to be, the natural foundation of
his environments, institutions, and respectful relations
to his fellow-man. Thus, he is oriented to a Freedom
whose roots are in the Order of the universe.
See the complete article at Homesite:
“Human Defined: Earth’s Choicemaker”
http://www.choicemaker.net/

By: C M

C M — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 02:21:57 +0000

Is it just me or was this a kind of anti-climax, but in a good way.

By: philosopher

philosopher — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 07:13:04 +0000

I think that cautious optimism is well in order, and I have nothing but respect for the millions of Iraqis who came out to vote — without knowing, we should not, that it would really be as safe as it was when they did so. I hope that their bravery does not go unrewarded.

By: Hyscience

Hyscience — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 01:52:23 +0000

Arabs Mesmerized by Iraqi Elections

If I were a moderate Arab living in the an Arab country, I’d be looking at the Palestinians and the Iraqis while asking myself, “Why don’t I have a say in my future?”

By: Joshua Claybourn

Joshua Claybourn — Mon, 31 Jan 2005 01:04:43 +0000

The original estimate of 72% voter turnout was reduced to a more probable 60%.
Yeah, I noted that in my update several hours ago.

By: C M

C M — Sun, 30 Jan 2005 23:45:13 +0000

I’m not calling anything a failure, I’m just guarding my optimism. I hope beyond hope that it was an overwhelming success, as maybe that means it’ll save my ass from going over there, but I see structural issues that I cannot ignore.

By: Pieter Friedrich

Pieter Friedrich — Sun, 30 Jan 2005 23:21:33 +0000

The original estimate of 72% voter turnout was reduced to a more probable 60%. Story here.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 30 Jan 2005 22:24:07 +0000

Well Josh, if close to 20% of the population opts out of your democracy, and they are the 20% that are willing to blow the other 80% up in order to try to regain the power and prestige they once held, it bodes ill for future stability and legitimacy.
A spectre is haunting Iraq: The spectre of … success!
I exaggerate. It is not yet a success. Even if the elections succeed, that does not mean the constitutional convention will, nor does it mean the government elected afterward will, nor does it mean that Iraq will get through two peaceful transfers of power (the benchmark for establishing democracy). But given that the elections are going better than, well, frankly just about everyone predicted, I think it’s premature to say we’re about to FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!, don’t you?

By: C M

C M — Sun, 30 Jan 2005 21:54:19 +0000

By: L'esprit D'escalier

L'esprit D'escalier — Sun, 30 Jan 2005 20:58:10 +0000

Minutiae on Iraq

There are two things that strike me as off about this analogy, one of which is pragmatic, while the other is rooted more in justice. First, the pragmatic: in South Africa, I don’t think we were particularly concerned about a civil war or campaign of …