• Harir’s assassination : Iraqi elections Harir’s assassination : Iraqi elections From Egyptian Gazette, Cairo February 15, 2005 Last October, the United Nations, apparently under U.S. pressure, passed a resolution demanding Syrian troops’ withdrawal from Lebanon. Successive Lebanese governments have
• Harir’s assassination : Iraqi elections
Harir’s assassination : Iraqi elections
From Egyptian Gazette, Cairo February 15, 2005
Last October, the United Nations, apparently under U.S. pressure, passed a resolution demanding Syrian troops’ withdrawal from Lebanon. Successive Lebanese governments have been keen to keep the Syrian troops to help maintain national security. With pressure piled up on it, Damascus has recently confirmed it will pull out troops upon the Lebanese government’s request. Hariri recently stepped into the foray, joining calls for Syria to end military presence and influence in Lebanon. It is too early to point the finger at the masterminds and culprits of yesterday’s bombing of Hariri’s motorcade. He was killed as Lebanon is poised for crucial elections in May. With Syria under fire from different directions, its foes may well take advantage of yesterday’s sinister attack to drive a wedge between Damascus and Beirut. Reviving the bitter 1975-1990 legacy jeopardizes the impressive political and economic feats the Lebanese have attained over the past decade. None among the Lebanese across the national spectrum stands to benefit from squandering these accomplishments. Despite the shock waves Harir’s assassination have triggered, the Lebanese must be on their guard against allowing the ugly head of mistrust and fighting to rise again.
From The Star, Johannesburg, South Africa February 16, 2005
The Iraqi election results … revealed that 58 percent of registered voters cast their ballots. This was remarkably brave, considering the intense violence and intimidation against the poll by insurgents.
The results prove many things; above all that the insurgency is not a popular uprising against the US-led occupation. Most Iraqis probably want the Americans and their allies to leave, but would prefer to effect that peacefully — through the ballot. …
So it’s still a long road to freedom. But at least Iraqi democracy now has a chance, which it did not have when Saddam Hussein was holding sway. Whatever happens now, the elections proved what should perhaps have been obvious, that democracy and the love of freedom are universal values. From Soweto, to Harare to Basra, if you give people even half a run at a ballot box, they will take it.
