NYT: Shiite Faction Ready to Shun Sunday's Election in Iraq [View All]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 28 Less than 48 hours before nationwide elections here, Nasir al-Saedy, one of the city's most popular Shiite clerics, stood before a crowd of 20,000 Iraqis and uttered not a single word about the vote.

Sheik Saedy spoke of faith, humility and the power of God. But about Sunday's elections, the first here in more than 30 years, nothing.

For the throngs of Iraqis who had come to Al Mohsen Mosque to listen, the sheik's silence came through loud and clear.

On Edit, forgot the Link...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/29/international/middleeast/29iraq.html?hp&ex=1107061200&en=af3334ab192c7aa6&ei=5094&partner=homepage


The article goes on to point out that al-Sadir, who everyone remembers as that darn oh so radical Shiite cleric, has been playing both sides against the middle. In one breath the dashing, yet stern faced leader of a "vast" number of Iraqi Shiites, calls for a boycott of the election through his overwhelming silence on the subject. But quietly, the semi-outlaw cleric, has fielded a small slate of candidates.

Go figure. one thing Iraq has in common with the US is a cadre of two faced double talking "religious" folk who will say just about anything to get their slice f the pie......

Stayed tuned for a less than stellar election turn out....

Or maybe not. Perhaps the Bushies in charge of the propaganda machine that this administration has become, is setting the stage for a surprise larger than expected turnout in the election just hours away from commencing.//

Can it get any more exciting than this????? My, oh my......