First Draft notices a new turnout number being reported deep inside a NY Times article about events in Iraq. Previously, from ink-stained-finger ConservaBorg central, we had been hearing 80%, then 70%, then 60%, then 40ish%. Now it seems that eight southern, largely Shiite provinces, in which it was supposedly "safe" to vote, etc. are looking at turnout numbers of close to 20%.
Again, I note that it would be useful to hear a working definition of "success" from the 101st Fighting Keyboarders before all the results are in and the effects of the Iraqi election are seen over the next 6-12 months. Otherwise, we'll just get the usual bit of "success = whatever is happening in Iraq now". You know, "rising insurgent attacks just show they are getting more desperate", or "hey, that's pretty close to turnout numbers for typical American elections at the nat-, uh, sta-, uh, local dogcatcher bond initiative level". That sort of thing.
Posted by Observer at February 8, 2005 11:30 AMComments on entries can only be made in pop-up windows while those entries are still on the main index page. Sorry for the inconvenience this causes, but this blocks about 99.99% of the spam the blog receives.