Arthur Chrenkoff has taken task with the media, BBC and ABC (Australia) in particular, regarding their perspectives on Rumsfeld’s comments about Iraqi elections.
I’ll leave it to you to read Arthur’s post. I want to add my own thoughts about Rummy’s words.
If there were to be an area where the extremists focused during the election period, and an election was not possible in that area at that time, so be it. You have the rest of the election and you go on. Life’s not perfect.
Some, including Kerry, are appalled. I think it comes from a lack of imagination. Rumsfeld is on to something.
The primary reason for the continuation of violence in Iraq is the fear many Iraqis have. It isn’t imaginary. They have lived in fear all their lives. In the past, they had no reason to take responsibility for bad things happening right next door. Involvement meant scrutiny by Saddam’s people. Scrutiny was bad. That is a tough mentality to break.
But it is precisely why it is so difficult to find the people responsible for the violence. The average Iraqi isn’t sure who to trust. A great concern is our own election. If Kerry is elected, do they really know what to expect from the US?
An incentive to push forward change in Iraq that will help to eliminate the terrorists, keeping those areas where terrorists thrive out of the election may force locals to begin turning in the miscreants. Their option is to be disenfranchised in the first real elections of their lives. And if these mostly-Sunni areas are concerned about losing a voice in future parliamentary endeavers and being overshadowed by Shia, perhaps they will come to their senses.
