Don't be fooled by occupation in democracy's clothing

Published: 25/1/2005, 06:53 (UAE)

Don't be fooled by occupation in democracy's clothing

By Linda S. Heard, Special to Gulf News
Forgive me if I cannot whip up too much excitement over the coming Iraqi elections. Apart from my innate scepticism as to US intentions after its pretexts for going to war were blown apart, the words of an Iraqi diplomat who insisted he was a close friend of Eyad Allawi add fuel to the embers.

"The outcome of the elections is more or less a done deal," he told me. "Allawi is set to continue."

I took this statement with a fistful of salt until I read this in last Sunday's Times: "fears of a takeover by Shiite clerics have prompted speculation that Washington might have been trying to strike a deal with Al Sistani to keep Allawi as prime minister after the election".

Tipped to oust Allawi is head of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq Abdul-Aziz Al Hakim and he is clamouring for American troops to go home pronto.

http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/OpinionNF.asp?ArticleID=149203

The shiites want to play nice. Be all secular. Then maybe we'll cut them in on the action.