Déjà vu anyone? Sounds like something I've heard before!

September 3, 1967

U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote
Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror

by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were surprised and heartened
today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election
despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.

According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million registered
voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals
threatened by the Vietcong.

.A successful election has long been seen as the keystone in President
Johnson's policy of encouraging the growth of constitutional processes in
South Vietnam. The election was the culmination of a constitutional
development that began in January, 1966, to which President Johnson gave his
personal commitment when he met Premier Ky and General Thieu, the chief of
state, in Honolulu in February.

The purpose of the voting was to give legitimacy to the Saigon Government,
which has been founded only on coups and power plays since November, 1963,
when President Ngo Dinh Deim was overthrown by a military junta.

This belongs in the those-who-forget-the-past department.

Or at least a reasonable facsimile.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1403103,00.html

democracy; and might be willing to forgive the messy past that got them there; even though it should have been easier and they have paid a huge price. In the long run, Iraq is likely to be a democracy to some extent. The biggest question is in the details.

Of course they do have major problems figuring out how to appease the 3 major groups: Shia, Sunni, and Kurds; along with others like the Turks who have significant numbers in northern Iraq.