BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections

Subject: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: Cllr
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 02:41 PM

A couple of years ago I monitered some elections in Georgia (ex USSR)
It was a strange experiance what with armed gangs roaming the area, bombs going off in the capital and having my set of ex-spetnaz bodygaurds(so they said over a bottle of scotch) There was a possiblity that I could have gone to Iraq but I turned it down. While I enjoyed the experience once Im not sure I should repeat it(my wife worries) Anyone got any views, experiences or know of any one else that has done this sort of thing. Cllr

Subject: RE: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 04:13 PM

I have friends who were monitors in El Salvador. At least the country was truly peaceful when they went out to vote.

Once upon a time, Palestinians went out to vote too. I expect the Iraq elections to be every bit as successful as the Palestinian elections were.

Subject: RE: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: Cllr
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 04:34 PM

thanks to guest but the reason for this thread is not about about the actual politics more the mechanics there are plenty of other threads on that subject. for instant I was asked to put a team together of independents observers for the main georgain elections last year but I didn;t want to put freinds?collegues in danger also I couldnt get the time to go. comments welcome anyway I guess

Subject: RE: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 04:37 PM

OK. The mechanics are, the Iraqis had to declare martial law to get out the vote. That makes the mechanics pretty tough. So do suicide bombers at the polling stations. But at least the suicide bombers went to different polling stations than CNN and MSNBC. Thank goodness for that! It is SO difficult to report that the elections were transparent and fair, and the Iraqi voters an inspiration, when they cameraman gets splattered all over their APC's windshield.

Subject: RE: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 05:05 PM

Roughly 14.2 million (CNN's figure) Iraqis within Iraq are eligible to vote - and an additional 1.2 million who live outside the country are also eligible.

All Iraqis 18 years or older are eligible, provided they can prove their citizenship. Iraq has no official census, so voters were registered through ration cards used for the UN oil-for-food program, which began in 1996. Iraqis whose ration-card information was correct were considered registered.

Iraq has a population of more than 25 million people, but 40 percent of them are under the age of 14 (in the United States, 20 percent of the population is 14 or younger).

Martial law was declared by the former CIA agent Allawi, who is the current head of the "interim" Iraqi government, for the "election period". No one knows when, or if, it will be rescinded after today.

The estimates of voter turnout so far are around 8 million, although, according to CNN:

"The Independent Election Commission of Iraq clarified an earlier estimate of a 72 percent turnout in Sunday's election, saying that the "figures are only very rough, word-of-mouth estimates gathered informally from the field."

CNN correspondents reported that turnout was sporadic across the nation after 30,000 polling booths opened at 7 a.m. on Sunday (11 p.m. ET Saturday) under the watchful eye of Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops."

Subject: RE: BS: Monitoring IRAQ elections
From: artbrooks
Date: 30 Jan 05 - 08:41 PM

A friend of mine was part of the team monitoring elections in Kosovo a few years ago. I'm not entirely sure, but I think she was there under the overall umbrella of the Carter Center. I don't think she felt too insecure, but she was relieved when it was all over and she could see part of the country.