Election round up

With 90% of Iraq's election called, the result has oddly united both the pro- and anti- war camps. Here is a short round-up of the comments I have collected (in no particular order):

Marcus at Harry's Place:

The secular parties seem to have done less well than some had hoped...

[which led one commentor to compare this to Hirohito's "The war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage.."]

Larry Diamond - architect of this whole election process:

It's troubling to think that the U.S. intervention in Iraq could lead to the rise of a Shiite theocracy, led by parties spawned in Iran, some of them virulently anti-American, representing views that violate basic principles of human rights. How are we going to square that with the loss of over 2,000 U.S. troops?

Dayez at Iraqi Rebel:

If this is democracy then I spit and shit on democracy.

Congratulations everyone. I congratulate everyone who participated and cheerleaded this farce, including myself.

Salam Pax at justzipit.blogspot.com:

I slightly feel like the wind has been knocked out of me and I have been avoiding all the news and election predictions as much as I can. So Iraqis chose hard-line Shia and hard-line Sunni.

Mohammed at Iraq the Model:

I think most of you have seen the disturbing results of the elections...Right now we're in facing a big crisis that leaves us before two possibilities; either the Sunni agree to be part of the government and we get a parliament with 200 Islamist members ... [or] the rival parties will enter another conflict in which words will not be the only weapon, we will also hear the democracy of mortars and RPGs speak loudly.

The final comment goes to Aunt Najma at A Star form Mosul:

I pray to God to take Iraq out of the deep hole it's in now.. I'm not sure if I can hang on this thin stick more; either it will break, or I will get tired and fall.. Or God will find me a way out!

As for me - I am not so pessimistic. Iraq survived worse and she will survive this. And if anyone still want an answer - for gods sake listen to Murtha. He is the only one who has made sense of all this.