tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post4100649847462363893..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: Allawi Wins Iraq’s Election, But Does It Matter?Joel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-85729866948685155442010-04-19T15:18:14.625-07:002010-04-19T15:18:14.625-07:00Compensatory seats are suppose to go to lists that...Compensatory seats are suppose to go to lists that don't do well at the local povincial level but get a lot of votes nationally. By the wording it would seem like that would help the small parties but the seats go to the big lists because they get the most votes overall.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-64172690251260591972010-04-19T13:21:21.322-07:002010-04-19T13:21:21.322-07:00How does the compensatory seats system work?How does the compensatory seats system work?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-73467113674329843632010-03-31T05:48:58.255-07:002010-03-31T05:48:58.255-07:00Joel,
To me the disasters were (1) the invasion, ...Joel,<br /><br />To me the disasters were (1) the invasion, (2) post-war mismanagement and (3) taking an eye off what was needed in Afganistan. But once the invasion had taken place, pressing for the reforms of (2) and (3) were on the agenda. Nothing ever stands still.Harry Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01833380054575757928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-33056761305794480042010-03-30T12:26:32.909-07:002010-03-30T12:26:32.909-07:00Harry,
To be real brief, I went from thinking tha...Harry,<br /><br />To be real brief, I went from thinking that everything in Iraq was going to be a disaster because the U.S. had planned so badly for post-war Iraq and didnt know what they were doing, to now seeing that life will go in the country, and that Iraqis will determine their own future. It's just going to be a very bumpy ride with a lot of struggles and mistakes.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-78582373373048365232010-03-30T12:03:38.236-07:002010-03-30T12:03:38.236-07:00Joel : So briefly, where did you move from and to ...Joel : So briefly, where did you move from and to over the war? I was on the platform which launched "Labour Against the War" in the Commons prior to the invasion. But some time afterwards I resigned from the organisation and helped set up a group called "Labour Friends of Iraq". This wasn't because I had changed my mind about the invasion, but because I thought that a positive agenda was then needed giving support to those Iraqis who were attempting to build a better future. The anti-war movement in Britain having become soft on terrorism.Harry Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01833380054575757928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-59703475799413069492010-03-29T16:58:33.687-07:002010-03-29T16:58:33.687-07:00If Maliki's smart he'll just sit on his ha...If Maliki's smart he'll just sit on his hands and invite Kurds/ISCI/Sadrists to make up their minds about backing Allawi and sunni led government.bbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-87882108392216107642010-03-29T13:42:07.714-07:002010-03-29T13:42:07.714-07:00bb,
We'll see. Everyone is talking about Sadr...bb,<br /><br />We'll see. Everyone is talking about Sadr being a kingmaker now that his list has won so many seats and he has come out against Maliki. <br /><br />Harry,<br /><br />I use to write long pieces on message boards and make a lot of comments on newspapers, blogs, etc. starting back in 2002. I don't even know whether that stuff is still around.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-1228294363929381972010-03-29T12:45:30.077-07:002010-03-29T12:45:30.077-07:00Hope so. Whatever Maliki's deficiences he has ...Hope so. Whatever Maliki's deficiences he has done the hard yards since 2006 and I would like to see the shia extreme religious wing shoved to the sidelines since the Iraqis have made it clear that is what they want.bbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-60515041570363017162010-03-28T20:49:59.217-07:002010-03-28T20:49:59.217-07:00bb,
I'm sure Maliki is making that exact same...bb,<br /><br />I'm sure Maliki is making that exact same argument right now.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-68961839027692928702010-03-27T20:19:04.644-07:002010-03-27T20:19:04.644-07:00Maliki is a tough guy. Maybe he'll just tell I...Maliki is a tough guy. Maybe he'll just tell INA, the Kurds and Iran they can have him on his terms or an ex baath shia PM and Sunni arab government chocka block with secret baath sympathisers in charge of the Iraqi army.bbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-79329723152369708392010-03-27T12:40:30.170-07:002010-03-27T12:40:30.170-07:00Visser had an article on the minority seats. Accor...Visser had an article on the minority seats. According to him, 6 will be pro-Kurdish, one is non-aligned, and one is anti-Kurd. <br /><br />Here's the link:<br /><br />http://gulfanalysis.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/the-pro-kurdish-minority-vote/Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-33230740143399210492010-03-27T11:47:07.910-07:002010-03-27T11:47:07.910-07:00On your profile you state "My views on the wa...On your profile you state "My views on the war have changed over time". Please let me know where I can find details of how and why they changed.Harry Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01833380054575757928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-51272188865195804372010-03-27T11:34:19.469-07:002010-03-27T11:34:19.469-07:001st anon again...after a deeper reading, referenci...1st anon again...after a deeper reading, referencing this part:<br /><br /><i>State of Law, the Kurdish Alliance, and the other members of the National Alliance besides the Sadrists would account for 162 seats. Maliki would only have to bring in one more minor party such as the Accordance Front or Unity of Iraq to gain a majority in parliament</i><br /><br />Actually, my understanding is that the two non-Rafidein Christian quota seats are lockstep with the Kurds, and the Shebak quota seat winner is also a KDP member, so that alliance could give him 165. Take that with a grain of salt, but that's my understanding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-40028186042172425892010-03-27T11:09:07.008-07:002010-03-27T11:09:07.008-07:00Let me know if you see any factual errors here - ...Let me know if you see any factual errors here - http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2010/03/iraq-who-is-winner.htmlHarry Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01833380054575757928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-85472250160563379152010-03-27T09:58:38.454-07:002010-03-27T09:58:38.454-07:00Thanks! Will fix it. I just caught an error in the...Thanks! Will fix it. I just caught an error in the previous article as well.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-71668142459225203352010-03-27T09:36:16.293-07:002010-03-27T09:36:16.293-07:00In the Shiite south, Allawi’s list was able to gar...<i>In the Shiite south, Allawi’s list was able to garner 17 of 199 seats, for 14%.</i><br /><br />Just a little typo - should be 119 seats, not 199.<br /><br />Thank you for your commentary and analysis, by the way!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com