Violence Looms in Iraq After Muslim Brotherhood Steals Anbar Elections
The elections in Iraq this past Saturday, where voters took to the polls in 14 of the 18 provinces to select ruling provincial councils, have been acknowledged as the most peaceful since Saddam Hussein was deposed by U.S. forces in 2003.
And yet Reuters reported on Monday that what had been one of the best success stories for U.S. troops in Iraq — the transition of Anbar province from al-Qaeda insurgent stronghold to the most peaceful province in the country — threatens to unravel and possibly plunge the country back into civil war as the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP) faces charges by Anbar Awakening tribal leaders that it rigged the elections in Anbar to their favor.
The IIP is the Muslim Brotherhood affiliate in Iraq, ruling as part of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s governing coalition and currently holding 36 of the 41 seats on the Anbar council. While many of the Awakening leaders did not participate in the previous 2005 elections, they actively campaigned this time around, forming an Anbar tribes list of candidates. And yet when many of their supporters ventured to the polls this weekend, they discovered that their names were not on the voting registration lists. In an effort to head off any possible violence, a curfew has been instituted along with a ban on nighttime vehicle traffic.
Tensions have been brewing between the tribal sheikhs and the IIP for a while. As Time magazine reported a few months ago, the Awakening leadership had wanted U.S. troops to remain in Anbar until after the elections to ensure a free and fair vote. However, the handover to the Iraqi government took place back in September. Ever since, the Iraqi government has arrested a number of the Anbar tribal leaders, with some taking refuge with U.S. troops for fear of being detained.
Even then tribal leaders admitted that these measures could push many of their fighters back into the arms of the al-Qaeda-led insurgency. Now finding that their participation in the Iraqi elections was thwarted by possible voter fraud at the hands of the IIP, which proclaimed itself the winner, Anbar stands at the brink of civil war. “We said we will transform from a political entity to an armed wing against the electoral commission and the IIP because we discovered fraud,” one leader told Reuters.
If the claims of voter fraud by the IIP are proved true, or even if many perceive them to be true, the resulting conflict will no doubt be exploited by al-Qaeda and possibly inspire renewed attacks against Iraqi civilians and American troops, potentially plunging the country back into chaos. Thus, all the gains achieved by American troops in Anbar during the past two years and purchased at the expense of the lives of many American soldiers could be quickly undone.
Maybe some “tough, direct diplomacy” will fix this? Obama’s in office two weeks and this happens. China also declared its intent to dominate Asia in ten years… on Obama’s Inauguration Day. What did Biden say, “Within six months, Obama’ll be tested.”? He was such an optimist. Obama’s declaration of intent to close Guantanamo and his apology to Al-Arabiya has emboldened the wolves. The guard dog has no teeth, now.
I think I will wait for the results to be announced, thank you, before jumping to conclusions.
And is this not the standard type of response that we always get out of any elections ? Even in the USA, with the losers whining about ‘fraud’ and ‘cheating’? Except that in Iraq it’ punctuated by —‘I got me a gun, you know ‘!!!
I’m pretty confident that Al-Maliki will deal FORCEFULLY with the issue should there be proven electoral rigging. Either he is the Iraqi Leader or he is not. All appearances indicate that he IS. Now we will see. It is instructive to note that there were complaints about the vote even in Anbar, even before the vote took place. Is is also not possible that the tribal leaders are not necessarily as popular as they might want everyone to believe, and that they didn’t appeal to as wide a swath of the population as they wanted to pretend ?
Don’t know the answers but I do know one thing—- The Anbar Awakening was not really the result of a great yearning for Freedom and Democracy. It was a reaction against Al-Queda, a tribal Power Play, and an acknowledgment that the Sunnis were LOSING the War both against the US and against the New Iraqi Security Forces. Threatening a New Civil War is just plain stupid at this point. Whatever the background. The Sunnis are in even a worse position to ‘fight’ now than in 2007/2008. And they were going down by the bow at that point.
Oh, and by the by, it’s AL-REUTERS doing the informing here. They sucked before, during the conflict so why should they not suck just as badly now ? Did they suddenly get ‘better’ ?
I have my doubts.
It’s not because of the color of his skin, nor his middle name. It’s because he is the least experienced POTUS to ever hold the office. He stepped straight from academic fantasy land into the real crap now. Just like the simple minded, divinely intentioned moron Jimmy Carter, this man is doing damage to this country in a way that may never be repaired. The Chinese and Russians are making their moves using the islamo facists as the pincers. I’m readying myself for one horribly bumpy ride. Hope you’re all proud of your hope and change now. Here in Brooklyn, the Marxist coffee shop on the corner closed down. This was the one who threw a fundraiser for the likes of Cynthia McKinney, and of course the almighty anointed one. I wouldn’t even walk with in 10 feet of the place. The owner, 9-11 troofer, anti USA blah blah blah guy sent out an email as to why they had to close shop “for a few days” Guess what? They owe 30 grand in back DOH fines from 2007. Very Dachle like I’d say. Couldn’t have happened to better people!!!
Maybe ACORN people can be sent to Iraq to help with voter fraud problems
“Systematically, institutions are being taken over: the party’s men are put into the bureaucracy, its controlling shadow falls on the universities, and it installs new judges in the courts”. This sounds vaguely familiar…
This is the problem with just implementing elections in an underdeveloped and corrupt tribal society and calling it ‘democracy’.
Democracy is about more than elections which won’t work as a stable method of peacefully choosing a functioning government in a country that doesn’t have a developed civil society especially when imposed by force from outside.
SEND IN JIMMY THE DHIMMI CARTER!
The Generals take on Anbar vote (from Blackfive.com)
I don’t suppose this will get much coverage in the States as the news is so good. No, the news is unbelievable.
Something didn’t happen in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, today. Once the most violent and most dangerous places on earth, no suicide vest bomber detonated killing dozens of voters. No suicide truck bomber drove into a polling place collapsing the building and killing and injuring over 100. No Marine was in a firefight engaging an Al Qaida terrorist trying to disrupt democracy.
What did happen was Anbar Sunnis came out in their tens of thousands to vote in the first free election of their lives.
With the expectation of all of the above (suicide bombers) they walked miles (we shut down all vehicle traffic with the exception of some shuttle busses for the elderly and infirm) to the polling places. I slept under the stars with some Grunts at Combat Outpost Iba on the far side of Karma, and started driving the 200 miles up the Euphrates River Valley through Karma, Fallujah, Habbiniyah, Ramadi, Hit, Baghdad and back here to Al Asad. I stopped here and there to speak with cops, soldiers, Marines, and most importantly, regular Iraqi men and women along the way. It was the same everywhere. A tension with every finger on a trigger that broke at perhaps 3PM when we all began to think what was almost unthinkable a year ago. We might just pull this off without a bombing. No way. By 4PM it seemed like we’d make it to 5PM when the polls closed. At 4:30 the unbelievable happened: the election was extended an hour to 6PM because of the large crowds! What are they kidding? Tempting fate like that is not nice. Six PM and the polls close without a single act of violence or a single accusation of fraud, and nearly by early reports pretty close to 100% voted. Priceless.
Every Anbari walking towards the polling place had these determined and, frankly, concerned looks on their faces. No children with them (here mothers and grandmothers are NEVER without their children or grandchildren) because of the expectation of death. Husbands voted separately from wives, and mothers separately from fathers for the same reason. In and out quickly to be less of a target for the expected suicide murderer. When they came out after voting they also wore the same expression on their faces, but now one of smiling amazement as they held up and stared at ink stained index fingers.
Norman Rockwell could not have captured this wonderment. Even the ladies voted in large numbers and their husbands didn’t insist on going into the booths to tell them who to vote for.
One of the things I’ve always said was that we came here to “give” them democracy. Even in the dark days my only consolation was that it was about freedom and democracy. After what I saw today, and having forgotten our own history and revolution, this was arrogance. People are not given freedom and democracy – they take it for themselves. The Anbaris deserve this credit.
Today I step down as the dictator, albeit benevolent, of Anbar Province. Today the Anbaris took it from me. I am ecstatic. It was a privilege to be part of it, to have somehow in a small way to have helped make it happen.
Semper Fi.
Kelly
We’ve posted about Major General Kelly before. We’re thankful to have Marines like him leading Marines like the one in the previous post.
February 03, 2009 • Permalink • Comments (8) • TrackBack (2)
#2 dougf – Your critique has some validity.
#8 George Cheves – Thanks for the post. Nice reading.
Comments on this article from my sis, Major in the USMC, who is actually going off deployment in Anbar this week.
“This was a very big step for our folks out here. We stayed out of the way, and were prepared for mass casualty situations. Nothing of note occurred.
I had my “last supper” out in the village with an Iraqi family today and they explained that in Al Anbar, there were 37 council seats available – and 1200 candidates running for them. As we sat in their living room, the TV was on one of the Arabic stations, and I asked what was going on. They said that there were protests that the elections were rigged, but the votes had not been tallied. I asked how they knew if they were good counts or not, and the man of the house – Amir explained that it would not matter how many times the votes were counted, if certain Sheiks thought their candidate did not win, they would protest no matter what. Sounds like Florida in 2000.”
Comments from “on the ground” for what its worth.
We may add “Arab Unity” to the long list of oxymorons. For the history lesson on this, rewatch Lawrence of Arabia. Maybe the 7th century was better for those beleagured people.
They won the election. Isn’t that how this “democracy” thing is supposed to work? Or is there a secret clause in the definition, “…unless the US and Israel don’t like the results, in which case we’ll blow you to bits.”
Time for President the One to keep his campaign promise: out of Iraq immediately.
Wha? Huh? NOT MUSLUMS!
Such nice, decent, honest people.
http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2009/02/alqaeda-accused-of-using-male-rape-to-create-suicide-bombers.html
*eyeroll*
What?! Voter Fraud?! Welcome to Chicago Politics, Iraq!
[The Problem ] With the “The so called ..Not Moderate ! Muslim Brotherhood.”is they believe in One party rule , Sharia law and Limited Freedoms and Women returned to the dark ages .
They also Hate Capitalism !
Democracy is on the march! And if we don’t like where it marches to, we’ll just kill the elected ones and march on. Who can we turn to to make sure we stay on this righteous mission?
I DON’T KNOW BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD (I don’t know but I’ve been told)
SARAH ‘TANG IS MIGHTY COLD (Sarah ‘tang is mighty cold)
THINK I’LL GO UP IN THE AIR (Think I’ll go up in the air)
SHOOT ME DOWN A WOLF AND BEAR (Shoot me down a wolf and bear)
LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO FORBID (Look for something to forbid)
POP ME OUT ANOTHER KID (Pop me out another kid)
DO A LITTLE SHOPPING TOO (Do a little shopping too)
ME AND MY HILLBILLY CREW (Me and my hillbilly crew)
TRIG AND TWIG AND CASH AND TANK (Trig and Twig and Cash and Tank)
AND ONE NAMED TODD I LIKE TO SPANK (One named Todd I like to spank)
Democracy is on the march! And if we don’t like where it marches to, we’ll just kill the elected ones and march on. Who can we turn to to make sure we stay on this righteous mission?
I DON’T KNOW BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD (I don’t know but I’ve been told)
SARAH ‘TANG IS MIGHTY COLD (Sarah ‘tang is mighty cold)
THINK I’LL GO UP IN THE AIR (Think I’ll go up in the air)
SHOOT ME DOWN A WOLF AND BEAR (Shoot me down a wolf and bear)
LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO FORBID (Look for something to forbid)
POP ME OUT ANOTHER KID (Pop me out another kid)
DO A LITTLE SHOPPING TOO (Do a little shopping too)
ME AND MY HILLBILLY CREW (Me and my hillbilly crew)
TRIG AND TWIG AND CASH AND TANK (Trig and Twig and Cash and Tank)
ONE NAMED TODD I LIKE TO SPANK (One named Todd I like to spank)
VOTE FOR ME I’LL GIVE A WINK (Vote for me I’ll give a wink)
MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOU TWINKS (Make a man out of you twinks)
THAT IS ALL I’VE GOT TO GO (That is all I’ve got to go)
THAT VOLCANO’S GONNA BLOW (That volcano’s gonna blow)
I’LL BE THERE TO SHOW THE WAY (I’ll be there to show the way)
JUST LIKE LAST THANKSGIVING DAY (Just like last Thanksgiving day)
ALSO, TOO, AND THINGS SUCH AS (Also, too, and things such as)
BANJO STRUM MY RAZZMATAZZ (Banjo strum my razzmatazz)
SOUND OFF
Yeah. Spreading democracy is grand, ain’t it?
Here’s hoping Obama can succeed where Bush should never have started.
Peace.
DS
Douchebaggery seems to be popular tonight.
“In the countries where the Muslim Brotherhood has gained power, we find that the prospects for continued democracy and peace die rather quickly. ”
So what Poole implied in this piece in 2009 was that Bush had wasted American lives and time in Iraq and helped to facilitate the growth of the MB and their alleged caliphate. Interesting!
Its now 2011 –according to Poole the MB takeover of Iraq should be imminent since Iraqi VP Al-Hashimi is still the leader of the MB in Iraq and still Iraq’s VP.