The Election Farce in Iraq

This much shortened article is based on a very extensive analysis of the media hype that was going on in Iraq in order to present a "large" 73-90% turn out in the Iraq election held last month.

Here are just some quotes from Western media:

* A high turnout of 72% in and around central Iraq.

* Election Commission officials said that 95% of Baghdad voters turned out to vote.

Where did this 72% figure come from? This figure was circulating in all the worlds’ news services way before the voting booths were closed – more than 2 hours before the actual closing of the voting. This was said by the Iraq’s new Minister of Planning – as is the fact – over 2 hours before closing of the election.

After the booths closed, the Ministry issued another news item that the vote might be only 60% turnout. Why this change in two hours? How was this count arrived at, without counting the ballots?

With shattered communications system in Iraq, how could this information get transmitted so quickly to the EICI for release at a news conference?

When questioned on this by some reporters, the Iraqi Minister was very evasive regarding the source and the methodology underlying this figure. This figure is based "on the eye-witness human flow." Were the percentage based on human flow only, not on actual people voting?

Soon after the figure went down from 60% to 50%!!

The news item from the New Statesman, of January 31, 2005, said: "30% overall turn out would be satisfactory."

As of the date of this article, no official results were announced by the IECI!