U.S. hope local elections will calm Anbar

[bemildred]

RAMADI, Iraq - U.S. officials are pressing for early local election in troubled Anbar province, hoping it will produce a government that can undercut support for the insurgency in the region where it is strongest.

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Past attempts to form a government in Anbar - including provincial councils and officials appointed by the Americans or the U.S.-backed government in Baghdad - have had little success in winning public confidence in this Sunni Arab-dominated province, a bastion of the insurgency since it erupted following the U.S.-led invasion three years ago.

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Four governors have served here in less than three years - one was assassinated, another resigned after surviving an attack, and two, including the current one, have had sons kidnapped. The current governor moves around Ramadi with Marines for bodyguards.

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A January report by the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. military command rated overall security in Anbar as "critical" with a local administration "that is not functioning." At least 11 of the 21 American soldiers killed in Iraq over the past week died in Anbar, according to the U.S. command.

The State

[951-Riverside]

1. Why are these buffoons always banking on elections to calm things?

How many elections have they had in iraq so far?

3-4?

[bemildred]

2. They got nothing else. nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Nothing like an election to calm everything down, is there?

Works every time.

[saigon68]

4. The Mini Chimp will solve the problem