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Posted on 10/20/2002 4:48:07 AM PDT by Snow Bunny
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Why Saddam's vote impressed me
AS this paper's newly appointed World Affairs Editor (to be confirmed), I was damned impressed by Saddam Hussein's vote in the Iraqi general election/referendum. A result of 100 per cent of the popular vote is not to be sneezed at, particularly given that the entire liberal media establishment was opposed to him. Fortunately for Saddam, prisoners don't have a vote.
Regrettably, there has been some adverse comment about the 100 per cent vote coming on the back of a 100 per cent turnout. Sceptics have raised eyebrows about the fact that nobody seemed to miss voting for reasons of work, illness or death. Happily ignoring the fact that in many countries, not excluding our own, death has regularly been just the catalyst a voter needs to get out there and do his civic duty.
It is also worth remembering that the referendum/general election arrangement, where you vote on whether the current leader should stay rather than on a confusing list of candidates, presents voters with a stark choice which tends to capture their imagination. Mind you, I have noticed that it is a format that has historically tended to favour the incumbent.
The vote comes at a crucial time for Iraq. The economy is in ongoing crisis due to the continued oil embargo. The president is again under suspicion of attempting to build weapons of mass destruction and the world's only superpower is currently contemplating whether to get UN approval to attack or just do it unilaterally. At least, the one accusation that can't be laid at Saddam's door were one, in fact, able to find his door is the suggestion that he misled the people at election time by telling them that the good times were going to continue. Inevitably, somewhat jocose parallels have been drawn between the Iraqi vote and the Nice referendum. At the time of going to print, however, it seems that the slogans 'No to bombing Iraq', 'No to American terrorism' and 'Stop American planes landing on our soil' are not proving to be the surefire vote-getters here as they are in downtown Baghdad.
It would, of course, be wrong to suggest that everything is perfect with Iraqi democracy. An old World Affairs hand like myself can see that even where 100 per cent of the population support the leader, there may be grumbles beneath the surface, particularly when he had held the post uninterrupted since 1979 and lost a million men in two wars, both of which he started. Besides, Iraq has to be the only country in the world where the only people involved in personation on polling day are the chaps who bear a striking resemblance to Saddam Hussein.
Inevitably the vote hasn't diverted George W Bush a president whose own mandate isn't beyond comment from continuing to explore methods of trying to talk the UN Security Council into passing a resolution allowing the United States attack Iraq if inspectors are prevented from carrying out their mission. It now appears that the French are the greatest obstacle to that goal. Bad news for Iraq there, then.
Of course, as we have seen at home, general election success is no guarantee of ongoing popularity.
However, the months ahead may well see the first occasion in recorded history where a 100 per cent satisfaction rating turns into a zero per cent satisfaction rating. As we World Affairs chaps tend to end our reports, only time will tell.
GOOD MORNING MILITARY PERSONNEL, PAST AND PRESENT, AND YOUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR AMERICA.
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