<strong>Written By:</strong> BC Mary
<strong>Date:</strong> 2005-12-22 11:41:00
<a href="/article/8411756-iraqs-election-result-a-divided-nation">Article Link</a>

The election marks the final shipwreck of American and British hopes of establishing a pro-Western secular democracy in a united Iraq.
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."

The success of the United Iraqi Alliance, the coalition of Shia religious parties, has been far greater than expected according to preliminary results. It won 58 per cent of the vote in Baghdad, while Iyad Allawi, the former prime minister strongly supported by Tony Blair, got only 14 per cent of the vote. In Basra, Iraq's second city, 77 per cent of voters supported the Alliance and only 11 per cent Mr Allawi.

The election was portrayed by President George Bush as a sign of success for US policies in Iraq but, in fact, means the triumph of America's enemies inside and outside the country.

Iran will be pleased that the Shia religious parties which it has supported, have become the strongest political force.

<a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article334476.ece">http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article334476.ece</a>

   

I guess then that nothing has changed from what existed before - the Shia, Sunni and Kurdish factions have been there for more than a thousand years.

It still beats me why the US (a very young country in comparison) could ever be so naive to think to "bring" democracy there. Or is there something I have missed? Could it be something else than oil below the surface?

Was the invasion of Iraq in essense not a war against Europe?

   

So, is the USA goping to withdraw their occupation forces now, or wait for an election where their pony wins?

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Your mantra has been your opinions are stifled due to their contrary nature, when they are actually stifled for being without perceivable foundation.