January 02, 2005
DEMOCRATS ARE SO BORING
Iraq's election officials resign fearing reprisals (Aqeel Hussein and Colin Freeman, The Telegraph, January 2nd, 2005)
Majid Dawood felt justifiably happy as he toured Baghdad's al-Baya'a district delivering voter registration papers. He got no payment for the work, but the prospect of helping his neighbours to choose their political future for the first time was reward enough.That, however, was before a paper dropped through his own letterbox just days later, offering a choice of much starker terms – quit now, or be killed.
"It said, 'The sword has become very near to your neck – leave any work that relates to the elections and stay safe,' " said Mr Dawood. "Then it said, 'You are free to make the choice yourself, but we have warned you.' "
In Mr Dawood's case, the decision did not take long. After handing the letter in to his local police station, he then handed his notice in to local election officials. "I found many people have done like me, because they are afraid that we'll be killed," he said.
Mr Dawood is among a growing number of election workers who are quitting their posts after threats from insurgents intent on forcing Iraq's January 30 poll into chaos.
It may be a mug’s game to play “What if?” with history, but there is a good case to be made that the West bought twenty years of Palestinian extremism and terrorism by remaining silent as the PLO murdered moderate West Bank mayors and others in the seventies and eighties. For Europe, the UN and the American left, terrorists and totalitarians proved to be a more romantic and exciting expression of Palestinian opinion and conformed better to the leftist/nihilist prejudices that inspired Western elites. Iraq’s chance of freedom may hang on its ability to protect and give courage to moderates, something that will be very hard to do when so many in the West are drooling excitedly at the prospect of failure.
Mr. Burnet:
Excellent summing-up, especially the last line. I remain optimistic, but our homegrown sedition lobby isn't making the job any easier.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at January 3, 2005 01:08 AMI see. The moderates in Iraq are in trouble not because the American military kidnaps, rapes, and tortures their people, not because we're establishing 14 permanent military bases in their country without their consent, not because they are seen as puppets of the hated Americans, but because some people on the Upper West Side (or wherever), with no influence over American policy, and whose opinions will never be heard by Iraqis, don't love all this. Very sensible.
Posted by: Social Scientist at January 3, 2005 08:50 AMSocial Scientist:
Spoken like a true social scientist. Muslim fanatics do indeed pay attention to what war disparagers such as yourself are saying -- indeed, they sometimes seem to know us better than we know ourselves. When Sudan was chosen to chair the U.N. human rights commission, the first official act of the delegate from a country committing outright genocide in its western region was to announce an inquiry into "human rights abuses" at Guantanamo.
I haven't even mentioned the damage these constant defeatist comments do to the morale of the American people and their determination to press on. I'm sure you smile at the prospect, though.
As to the comment about America kidnapping, raping, and torturing Iraqis -- actions I presume you think are widespread -- that is too vile for comment. Keep in mind, though, that polls repeatedly show about 70% of the Iraqi people optimistic about their future, with majorities supporting the Americans.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at January 3, 2005 07:10 PMMuslim fanatics do indeed pay attention to what war disparagers such as yourself are saying
Stop confusing yourself. Are we talking about the Iraqis, or are we talking about "Muslim fanatics?"
When Sudan was chosen to chair the U.N. human rights commission
See above.
As to the comment about America kidnapping, raping, and torturing Iraqis -- actions I presume you think are widespread -- that is too vile for comment.
I don't think they're widespread. I don't think flying planes into buildings is widespread, either. That doesn't much change the impact on a people's psyche. I do believe the harassment of innocent Iraqis by out troops is widespread--and that the Iraqis know it.
Posted by: Social Scientist at January 3, 2005 08:19 PMSocial Scientist:
Sorry for the late reply -- been away from the computer for a while.
1. Both. As you note, just because not all Iraqis are Muslim fanatics doesn't mean they don't have an "impact" on people's "psyche." I think most Iraqis are pretty reasonable, but the sort of nonsense spouted by both Western radicals and Islamic radicals doesn't make our job any easier.
2. See above.
3. See 70% optimism figure.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at January 5, 2005 02:36 AM