Comments on: Nashi to Monitor Iraqi Elections

By: W. Shedd

W. Shedd — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:07:56 +0000

As predicted … from todays JRL:

#34 – Russian pro-Kremlin movement’s monitors speak of ‘mass rigging’ in Iraq election, Interfax

Moscow, 1 February: Mass rigging was observed in the local elections in Iraq after the polls closed, the head of the monitoring group of the Nashi youth movement in Iraq, Konstantin Goloskokov, has told Interfax.

“The vote count was carried out not at polling stations but at city electoral commissions, and neither independent observers nor the press was present at the count at all,” the head of the Nashi group said.

He said the procedure of compiling lists of voters on the basis of the so-called “bread cards” (which give one the right to claim food aid) rather then passports gave massive scope for vote-rigging in favour of the incumbent authorities, and the elections proved it.

“In the town of Khanaqin alone, more than 16,000 ethnic Kurdish voters could not find themselves on the lists, while in Makhmur, near Arbil, ballot papers were never brought in at all,” Goloskokov added.

Furthermore, according to his information, members of the Iraqi army and US troops obstructed the movements of voters and observers, justifying their actions by saying they were concerned about their safety.

“Members of the electoral commission in Arbil tried to mislead us and other international observers, saying that the ballot boxes would only be opened in three days, but we drove to the city electoral commission anyway in order to capture on video a great number of empty ballot boxes of unknown provenance. However, our cameras and passes confirming our accreditation were taken away, so we could not monitor the vote count,” said the head of the Nashi movement monitoring group.

According to Goloskokov, Nashi still managed to gather enough evidence proving the fact of vote rigging, which they intend to publish upon their arrival in Moscow.

By: Lyndon

Lyndon — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:20:43 +0000

C'mon, Sean, although you're of course right that Nashi is - perhaps like Russia itself - is still looking for an overarching idea, the "colored revolution" scarecrow is way too useful to be stowed away in the Kremlin's attic in a time of crisis. See here and here (denials notwithstanding). From the second link: К тому же последние события в еще недавно спокойных Латвии и Литве, где вызванные кризисом антиправительственные демонстрации вылились в беспорядки и погромы, похоже, заставили Кремль снова вспомнить о призраке "оранжевой революции", который к концу путинского президентства был, казалось, окончательно изгнан из России.

By: Sean

Sean — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:51:28 +0000

this is purely intended for the audience back home, who will no doubt be delighted to hear that Russia is no less of a democracy than Iraq/US.

And that audience doesn’t go beyond its own members. Anti-Americanism is pretty much all Nashi has to rile the emotions of its members. All of its big spectacles target the US in some way or another. Even their actions against Ukraine and Georgia are more anti-America than anti-Ukraine or Georgia.

Almost a year after “colored revolution” was declared defeated, Nashi still seems to be bobbing along trying to find their way and purpose.

By: Tim Newman

Tim Newman — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:44:33 +0000

What the fuck Nashi are trying to say or achieve is beyond me, but Wally Shedd has called it correctly I’d say.

I’d agree, and go further to say that this is purely intended for the audience back home, who will no doubt be delighted to hear that Russia is no less of a democracy than Iraq/US.

By: Irishman

Irishman — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:32:29 +0000

”We have serious reasons to doubt that America has built a democratic state in Iraq in the last six months. ”

I dont know about the last six months, but unless I’m mistaken the USA pressed ahead with elections in 2005 in Iraq that were deemed free and fair in extremely difficult conditions. Not only that, the government elected have been quite hostile to the US. I think the Yanks deserve a lot of credit for this – they pressed on with it even though they surely knew it would lead to their influence being nullified afterwards. What the fuck Nashi are trying to say or achieve is beyond me, but Wally Shedd has called it correctly I’d say.

By: W. Shedd

W. Shedd — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:43:02 +0000

Nashi is well versed in the intricacies of “managed democracy” so I can’t imagine that their standards will be too high.

I’m sure they simply want to play the role of spoiler and complain about any flaws or an evidence of an undemocratic process in the Iraqi elections.

Tit for tat.