Mary Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Insurgents bombed a polling station and lobbed grenades at voters Sunday, killing 26 people in attacks aimed at intimidating Iraqis participating in an election that will determine whether the country can overcome jagged sectarian divisions that have plagued it since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Iraqis hope the election will put them on a path toward national reconciliation as the U.S. prepares to withdraw combat forces by late summer and all American troops by the end of next year. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is fighting for his political future with challenges from a coalition of mainly Shiite religious groups on one side and a secular alliance combining Shiites and Sunnis on the other. Despite mortars raining down nearby, voters in the capital still came to the polls. In the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah in northern Baghdad, Walid Abid, a 40-year-old father of two, was speaking as mortars landed several hundreds yards (meters) away. Police reported at least 20 mortar attacks in the neighborhood shortly after daybreak and mortars were also launched toward the Green Zone ? home to the U.S. Embassy and the prime minister's office. "I am not scared and I am not going to stay put at home," Abid said. "Until when? We need to change things. If I stay home and not come to vote, Azamiyah will get worse." WOULD WE BE THAT BRAVE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 What we take for granted, other people are prepared to die for and have died for, it puts what we have got in perspective and we should make every possible opportunity to use the vote, sometimes it is the only opportuntity we have to change things for the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 But does it ? - change things for the better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 At least they have hope and courage of their convictions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Well, it took 30 years in Ulster - not sure the post WW1 Western construct of Iraq, with Kurds in the north striving for independence; Sheites in the south becoming clients of Iran; leaving a marginalised Sunni minority in the middle, festering over the fact that they were once in charge; provides a sound basis for peace and democracy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Why do you always look to the negative?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 If you always expect the worst, you'll never be dissapointed, but can be pleasantly surprised! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Good Excuse!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 No Mary - it works: so always look on the gloomy side of life, then your seldom dissappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted March 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 No thanks I work with people like that, looking for problems when there are none. Does my head in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 May your glass remain half full! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted March 18, 2010 Report Share Posted March 18, 2010 Just a thought, how is ?Operation Moshtarak? getting on? No mention on the TV news lately, is it still going on? Have the coalition forces stopped fighting? Have they won, have they lost? Have I missed something? Is there something that the government are not telling us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 NATO attacked, Tommy the Taliban blended into the population or moved elsewhere against softer targets. NATO will try to establish civil institutions to capture the hearts and minds of the population, as soon as they leave, Tommy Taliban will be back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 Why is his name Tommy and not Gordon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 Gordon the Guerrilla has a ring to it; but Mohamed might be more appropriate?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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