UN to assess Iraq poll plan, six US soldiers die

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27120872.htm

UN to assess Iraq poll plan, six US soldiers die

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(Adds three more US soldiers killed; Brahimi comments; UK vote)

By Mark John and Fiona O'Brien

PARIS/BAGHDAD, Jan 27 (Reuters) - U.N. chief Kofi Annan said on Tuesday that if it was safe he would send a team to Iraq to study the feasibility of early elections, but on the same day six U.S. soldiers and two CNN staff died in fresh violence.

On one of the bloodiest days for the U.S. Army in Iraq for months, U.N. Secretary-General Annan said he would send a mission to see whether direct polls would be possible before the United States hands back power to Iraqis in mid-2004.

Yet one of his own envoys at once cast doubt on the idea.

Lakhdar Brahimi, 70, an Algerian ex-foreign minister, also signalled he would not play the key role Washington wants him to take in organising a political transition to Iraqi self-rule.

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[Sagan]

1. Time for another "duh" moment..

Sponsored by Sagan!

So even if the UN sends teams to monitor elections, the insurgents in Iraq will target them specifically and Anan will withdraw them. Then, since there are no elections, the Shiites are going to get pissed.

Then, since Chimpy has to have the troops out by the time of the Convention or at least the General Election, we will be pulling out the only stabilizing influence right as the country goes to hell in a handbasket.

Moral -- It was a stupid, unnecessary war in the first place.