Iraq Sets Dusk-To-Dawn Curfew Before Vote

By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer

YOUSSIFIYAH, Iraq - Just ahead of the first free balloting in Iraq (news - web sites) in half a century, the nation battened down for the vote, imposing a 7 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew on Friday and closing Baghdad International Airport. Five U.S. soldiers were killed in the capital and insurgents blasted polling stations across the country.

The curfew will remain in effect through Monday and the nation's borders will be sealed for the election period. Medical teams are on alert and nationwide restrictions on traffic will be imposed from Saturday to Monday to try and deter car bombs.

In hopes of discouraging Iraqis from voting in Sunday's election — 21 months after Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s downfall in April 2003 — insurgents have accelerated attacks, sending a message that if Iraqis suffer deaths and injuries on election day, "you have only yourselves to blame."

An American OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter also crashed Friday night in southwestern Baghdad, U.S. officials said. There was no indication of hostile fire and no word on the fate of the crew, the officials said.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_the_vote_8

An imposed curfew the night before a "democratic" election?!?!

non-cooperation. You can't force people be your friend from the barrel of a gun.

So much of society functions through co-operation. The Bush administration is just now finding that out. People can sabotage you in the most innocuous ways.

They simply - don't cooperate. And the fool George is always getting himself into situations where he has to count on others, and it gets him into so much trouble.

And this little experiment is costing us so much. $4.9 billion per month, if not more.

I've seen photos of US troops rolling down the streets, urging people to vote "for family, for Iraq, for freedom". This whole comedy reminds me so much of Good Morning VietNam with Robin Williams.