Siah
01-02-05, 11:51
The Iraq Electoral Fiasco
By Mike Whitney
Al-Jazeerah, February 1, 2005
“The people of Iraq have spoken.” President George W. Bush 1-30-05
Shouldn’t the administration have stuck Saddam Hussein’s name on the
ballot? Then we would’ve known whether the Iraqi people are sick enough of
Bush’s farce to want a return to the old order. Instead, we’re left
ferreting through reams of trivia to sort out what the voting really meant.
It’s easier to figure out what it doesn’t mean.
It doesn’t mean that the water that has been off for 8 straight days in
Baghdad will come on anytime soon. Nor does it mean that the sputtering
electrical grid will work for more than 4 hours a day, or that anyone is
going to clean up the sewage that’s coursing through the streets of downtown
Baghdad. And it certainly doesn’t mean that the newly “elected” officials
will have any real influence over borders, air space, oil extraction,
economic policy, deployment of troops or any of the other powers we normally
associate with sovereign leaders. (Even the ridiculously named Iraqi
National Bank is completely owned by foreign investors) Those will still be
in the hands of their US overlords. The winners, however, will be
celebrated by an enthusiastic media eager to champion America’s latest
satraps to the world. And, they can also expect an engraved invitation to
the upcoming State of the Union Speech, where they’ll be showcased next to
Crawford Laura (front-row, upper-deck) like some exotic Mesopotamian bird
captured in the wild. (The Bush people are very big on diversity)
So, although the elections may be a hollow exercise of imperial
maneuvering, the coup was carried off with considerable skill.
For one thing, the western media proved, once again, its breathtaking
range and ability. All the major televised media featured virtually the same
lead without one discordant voice. They praised the “brave Iraqis who put
themselves at risk” to enjoy the blessings of democracy. This “objective”
account was accompanied by footage of mile-long lines of expectant Iraqis
waiting to cast their first vote in free elections. No mention was made of
the fact that (as Robert Fisk noted) that the world media was limited to
exactly 5 polling stations that were secured by legions of troops and
armored vehicles in predominantly Shiite areas to give the impression of
widespread participation.
In keeping with the (Karl) Rovian philosophy of political hi-jinks, the
streets were swept-clean, the cement barricades were hidden from view, and
the rolls of razor-wire were scrupulously kept off camera. All signs of city
under siege were effectively concealed. It was a solid effort on the part
of the White House producers who slapped this comedy together. Particularly
admirable were the scenes of enraptured Iraqis waving flags and gyrating
with abandon on the streets of Baghdad. What American could watch such a
heartwarming demonstration of elation and not feel choked-up by the great
gift Bush has bestowed on these simple people.
Alas, it was all a hoax as well. As Robert Fisk opines in his latest
article in the UK Independent, he stumbled on “three truckloads of youths,
all brandishing Iraqi flags-like the unemployed who have been sticking
posters to Baghdad’s walls-paid by the government to ‘advertise’ the
election. And there was a cameraman from state television.”
“Paid by the government”?
Ah-ha! Yet another public relations ploy like the carefully
choreographed toppling of Saddam in Fidros Square, or the staged landing of
“Top-Gun” Georgie B. on the USS Lincoln; this time arranged and financed by
ex-CIA operative (and former Saddam agent) Iyad Allawi.
Shame, shame, shame!…but, good theatre none the less. And, besides, the
charges of fraud won’t be forthcoming anytime soon. For now, the balloting
is being celebrated by the media as another positive step towards the
anticipated “transfer of power”. Just listen to the unanimity of the
approbation from the press:
“Iraqis Brave Bombs to vote in Millions” MSNBC…
“This is Democracy!” Reuters…
“Brave Voters defy Rebels” NY Post…
“Iraqis begin Historic Vote” Washington Times.
Anyway, you get the idea. A quick perusing of Google headlines produces
1,468 stories with nearly identical bylines. The western press is either
besotted with Iraq’s “alleged” metamorphosis or they’re getting their
marching orders from the “Sec-Def” at the Pentagon. Either way, don’t waste
your time looking for divergent points of view in the establishment media.
Anything that fails to harmonize with the Conquistador agenda has been
conscientiously extracted by the roots.
NYT’s profound remorse for the deceased
The “Paper of Record” gave its typically glib assessment of the elections
by noting “a comparatively peaceful day of voting”. In the parlance of the
New York Times that means that only 41 Iraqis were killed; “chump-change”
for America’s prodigious war-machine, unless, of course, you happen to be
the disconsolate wife or child who just lost your father or brother to a
nervous Marine with a hair-trigger finger. In any event that’s not the
business of the NYTs. They’ve got a war to cover and (like Tommy Franks
says) they don’t do body counts.
Similarly, Corporate George added his voice to the chorus of praise with
his characteristic chest-thumping, “I-told-you-so” rhetoric saying "The
people of Iraq have spoken to the world, and the world is hearing the voice
of freedom from the center of the Middle East….Terrorists and insurgents
will continue to wage their war against democracy, but we will support the
Iraqi people in their fight against them." And, Blah, blah, blah; like the
shallow whistling of hot air emerging from a flat tire.
George W. may be crowing “victory” a bit prematurely. Iraq is not quite
ready for the trophy-case along side Bush’s warlord-dominated, drug-colony,
Afghanistan. And, despite the celebratory braying from the obsequious press,
20% of the population boycotted the elections, and that 20% (Sunnis) have
ruled Iraq as long as anyone can remember. They’ll have their say before the
day is done.
Bush can revel in his Pyrrhic victory; everyone enjoys seeing happy,
ballot-clutching folks mugging for the cameras. But, beyond the
circumscribed range of the media, the fighting rages on.
Attacks on the polls occurred in Baghdad, Balad, Basra, Baquba, Hilla,
Kirkuk, Mosul, Tal Afar, Al-Duluiya, Al-Mhawil, Al Muqtadiya and Samarra.
This is the tragic litany of the Torturer-in-Chief’s ongoing depredations in
Iraq; a list that will be faithfully excluded from today’s festive coverage
of election results. Reality rarely intrudes into the bubble of managed
perceptions that encloses the American public. Today will be no different.
The suffering, torture and death unleashed by America’s blundering
military campaign have been temporarily suspended to rejoice in this moment
of unalloyed, Orwellian ecstasy. Bush has acquired his fig leaf of
legitimacy and the rudiments of a client regime that will assist him in his
long-range goals, but at what cost to both Iraq’s future and America’s
prestige. The desperation of this electoral fiasco is reminiscent of a
skydiver grasping at a frayed ripcord as he tumbles downward through the
ether.
There’s a hard landing ahead.
By Mike Whitney
Al-Jazeerah, February 1, 2005
“The people of Iraq have spoken.” President George W. Bush 1-30-05
Shouldn’t the administration have stuck Saddam Hussein’s name on the
ballot? Then we would’ve known whether the Iraqi people are sick enough of
Bush’s farce to want a return to the old order. Instead, we’re left
ferreting through reams of trivia to sort out what the voting really meant.
It’s easier to figure out what it doesn’t mean.
It doesn’t mean that the water that has been off for 8 straight days in
Baghdad will come on anytime soon. Nor does it mean that the sputtering
electrical grid will work for more than 4 hours a day, or that anyone is
going to clean up the sewage that’s coursing through the streets of downtown
Baghdad. And it certainly doesn’t mean that the newly “elected” officials
will have any real influence over borders, air space, oil extraction,
economic policy, deployment of troops or any of the other powers we normally
associate with sovereign leaders. (Even the ridiculously named Iraqi
National Bank is completely owned by foreign investors) Those will still be
in the hands of their US overlords. The winners, however, will be
celebrated by an enthusiastic media eager to champion America’s latest
satraps to the world. And, they can also expect an engraved invitation to
the upcoming State of the Union Speech, where they’ll be showcased next to
Crawford Laura (front-row, upper-deck) like some exotic Mesopotamian bird
captured in the wild. (The Bush people are very big on diversity)
So, although the elections may be a hollow exercise of imperial
maneuvering, the coup was carried off with considerable skill.
For one thing, the western media proved, once again, its breathtaking
range and ability. All the major televised media featured virtually the same
lead without one discordant voice. They praised the “brave Iraqis who put
themselves at risk” to enjoy the blessings of democracy. This “objective”
account was accompanied by footage of mile-long lines of expectant Iraqis
waiting to cast their first vote in free elections. No mention was made of
the fact that (as Robert Fisk noted) that the world media was limited to
exactly 5 polling stations that were secured by legions of troops and
armored vehicles in predominantly Shiite areas to give the impression of
widespread participation.
In keeping with the (Karl) Rovian philosophy of political hi-jinks, the
streets were swept-clean, the cement barricades were hidden from view, and
the rolls of razor-wire were scrupulously kept off camera. All signs of city
under siege were effectively concealed. It was a solid effort on the part
of the White House producers who slapped this comedy together. Particularly
admirable were the scenes of enraptured Iraqis waving flags and gyrating
with abandon on the streets of Baghdad. What American could watch such a
heartwarming demonstration of elation and not feel choked-up by the great
gift Bush has bestowed on these simple people.
Alas, it was all a hoax as well. As Robert Fisk opines in his latest
article in the UK Independent, he stumbled on “three truckloads of youths,
all brandishing Iraqi flags-like the unemployed who have been sticking
posters to Baghdad’s walls-paid by the government to ‘advertise’ the
election. And there was a cameraman from state television.”
“Paid by the government”?
Ah-ha! Yet another public relations ploy like the carefully
choreographed toppling of Saddam in Fidros Square, or the staged landing of
“Top-Gun” Georgie B. on the USS Lincoln; this time arranged and financed by
ex-CIA operative (and former Saddam agent) Iyad Allawi.
Shame, shame, shame!…but, good theatre none the less. And, besides, the
charges of fraud won’t be forthcoming anytime soon. For now, the balloting
is being celebrated by the media as another positive step towards the
anticipated “transfer of power”. Just listen to the unanimity of the
approbation from the press:
“Iraqis Brave Bombs to vote in Millions” MSNBC…
“This is Democracy!” Reuters…
“Brave Voters defy Rebels” NY Post…
“Iraqis begin Historic Vote” Washington Times.
Anyway, you get the idea. A quick perusing of Google headlines produces
1,468 stories with nearly identical bylines. The western press is either
besotted with Iraq’s “alleged” metamorphosis or they’re getting their
marching orders from the “Sec-Def” at the Pentagon. Either way, don’t waste
your time looking for divergent points of view in the establishment media.
Anything that fails to harmonize with the Conquistador agenda has been
conscientiously extracted by the roots.
NYT’s profound remorse for the deceased
The “Paper of Record” gave its typically glib assessment of the elections
by noting “a comparatively peaceful day of voting”. In the parlance of the
New York Times that means that only 41 Iraqis were killed; “chump-change”
for America’s prodigious war-machine, unless, of course, you happen to be
the disconsolate wife or child who just lost your father or brother to a
nervous Marine with a hair-trigger finger. In any event that’s not the
business of the NYTs. They’ve got a war to cover and (like Tommy Franks
says) they don’t do body counts.
Similarly, Corporate George added his voice to the chorus of praise with
his characteristic chest-thumping, “I-told-you-so” rhetoric saying "The
people of Iraq have spoken to the world, and the world is hearing the voice
of freedom from the center of the Middle East….Terrorists and insurgents
will continue to wage their war against democracy, but we will support the
Iraqi people in their fight against them." And, Blah, blah, blah; like the
shallow whistling of hot air emerging from a flat tire.
George W. may be crowing “victory” a bit prematurely. Iraq is not quite
ready for the trophy-case along side Bush’s warlord-dominated, drug-colony,
Afghanistan. And, despite the celebratory braying from the obsequious press,
20% of the population boycotted the elections, and that 20% (Sunnis) have
ruled Iraq as long as anyone can remember. They’ll have their say before the
day is done.
Bush can revel in his Pyrrhic victory; everyone enjoys seeing happy,
ballot-clutching folks mugging for the cameras. But, beyond the
circumscribed range of the media, the fighting rages on.
Attacks on the polls occurred in Baghdad, Balad, Basra, Baquba, Hilla,
Kirkuk, Mosul, Tal Afar, Al-Duluiya, Al-Mhawil, Al Muqtadiya and Samarra.
This is the tragic litany of the Torturer-in-Chief’s ongoing depredations in
Iraq; a list that will be faithfully excluded from today’s festive coverage
of election results. Reality rarely intrudes into the bubble of managed
perceptions that encloses the American public. Today will be no different.
The suffering, torture and death unleashed by America’s blundering
military campaign have been temporarily suspended to rejoice in this moment
of unalloyed, Orwellian ecstasy. Bush has acquired his fig leaf of
legitimacy and the rudiments of a client regime that will assist him in his
long-range goals, but at what cost to both Iraq’s future and America’s
prestige. The desperation of this electoral fiasco is reminiscent of a
skydiver grasping at a frayed ripcord as he tumbles downward through the
ether.
There’s a hard landing ahead.