Iraq Election Link Special

What you've all been waiting for. What Iraqi bloggers have been saying about elections.

(Sorry if missed anyone, have like 89 blogs to read. Did me best with a bloglines feed but if you've posted "Iraq election" lately and it's been overlooked just shout and I'll do an update)

Abbas Kadhim posts that Abdul Aziz al-Hakim survives assassination and notes;

the Islamic Party withdrew from the elections, leaving the Sunni Arabs with a bunch of secular candidates. Very bad news for those who count on the elections to be meaningful.

Faiza writes of people's fears

The Iraqi elections are drawing near, and people are afraid of what will happen. There are daily threats against whoever distributes the election cards, of killing, and the burning of his house and workplace.

Rose shares her thoughts

I don’t want to vote based on religion. I want to choose what I think is right and best for my country.

Zeyad is concerned

The Independent Electoral Commission in Iraq has been far behind in educating Iraqi voters on the details of the voting system. I fear this can have catastrophic consequences on the whole process.

Ays has tough news from friends and family but still fits in a blog or two

the terrorists are threatening to bomb the elections' centers especially the Shia ones.
If the situation continues like that, I think the elections must be postponded.

Abu Khaleel is refreshingly frank

The problems in Iraq cannot be solved by just by having elections. They can be solved by democracy. Elections will not work. Democracy will.

Mohammed. at Iraq The Model bless's all the lists and says

First of all, lots of people and parties try to speak on behalf of Iraqis and I tell them "we're capable of expressing ourselves and no one can do play this role other than Iraqis themselves".

Kurdo casts a vote of no confidence

I will NOT vote because :

* A report published by the Kurdistan Regional Government's Human Rights Ministry, announced that this year 130 Kurds have been beheaded in 2004 by terrorists. (Hawlati.com). Voting for Iraq, means more Kurds killed in Iraq.

(And that's just the first reason).

Fayrouz provides valuable information with a list of candidates. She notes

Searching for candidates' names is like searching for a needle in a haystack. I guess most running parties are keeping a low profile for security reasons.

Neurotic_wife blogs expat low-down

Last Friday a conference was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. A panel of Iraqi professors were present to inform us and educate us about the process of elections and explained how we, the Iraqi expats, can vote.

Raed doesn't sound impressed with sub-divisions

Federal Iraq is at the core of the US project in the Middle East, the dream of the bush-administration. Cutting Iraq apart, turning the country into small administrative cantons...

And Khalid barracks for honest fair play

without real guaranties that the elections will be clean and honest, without giving all parties a fair role in the poletical game, this elections are only a dor to hell.

Too right. In fact, that sums it all up rather well - wouldn't anyone in any country ask for that? A clean, honest election where all parties have a fair role in the political game ! (Oh damn. Who opened the door?)

UPDATE !!! Ali (Liberal Iraqi) makes lucid observation

I think that most Iraqis won't vote for the existing 'major' political parties in the future. This may not be so evident in the 1st election but I have no doubt that with the ones that will follow these parties will lose a lot of ground for the small more democratic and liberal parties.

UPDATE UPDATE

Re Comments

My intention was to post a short excerpt from each blogger that might make a reader curious enough to follow the link and read the whole thing.

You might not like hearing it Jeffrey, but these excerpts belong to other bloggers who are entitled to speak freely and I'd appreciate you showing them and me some respect.