Posted on 01/24/2005 6:32:55 AM PST by Jay777
Politics can be confusing at best of times (political junkies exempted), even more so in a foreign country whose political culture is very different to ours; not to mention all the unfamiliar names. To complicate the matters, many new democracies experience explosion of parties as political energies of people are liberated and can finally find legal outlet. In time, survival of the fittest narrows down the field, but during the transitional phase we have to deal with multitude of what the Poles jokingly used to refer to as "sofa parties" (because their membership could all sit together on one sofa).
On Sunday, January 30, Iraq goes to the polls - a number of sites and blogs is keeping an eye on election developments: Friends of Democracy offers great grass-roots reporting from Iraqis around the country. In addition, you can check out these blogs: Iraq Election Newswire; Iraqi Election Diatribes; Liberating Iraq; and Truth on Iraq.
Below, to help you make sense of the results, a handy guide to who's who of major parties, lists and politicians participating.
SHIA PARTIES:
The Islamic Daawa party - one of the two main Shia political parties and the oldest, going back to 1957 (or 1958, according to some reports), when it was first established by a group of Shia Islamic scholars headed by Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al Sadr to counter communist influences. Party spokesman Ibrahim Jaafari, a medical doctor (one of many involved in Iraqi politics, it seems), is one of Iraq's two current vice-presidents. The movement is said to have become much fragmented post-liberation.
The Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq - the other influential Shia party, set up in 1982, was based in Iran during Saddam's rule, but...
(Excerpt) Read more at chrenkoff.blogspot.com ...
Looks like Iraq will dive into a two-party system...radical Islamofascist Sunnis and radical Islamofascist Shi'ites.
Perhaps I'm wrong...hopefully...
BuMp!
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