Let's Just Have the Election in Texas!

That's basically what Donald Rumsfeld said today in front of Congress, regarding Iraq. Directly contradicting Prime Minister Allawi and President Bush's rosy statements on the upcoming elections, Rumsfeld said:

"Let's say you tried to have an election and you could have it in three-quarters or four-fifths of the country. But in some places you couldn't because the violence was too great," Rumsfeld said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

"Well, so be it. Nothing's perfect in life, so you have an election that's not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet," he said.

I'll bet somewhere in the Pentagon, there's a list of exactly what 3/4 or 4/5 of America the Bush Administration would want to vote. I think the Great Plains and the South would be included.

Seriously, this is democracy on the march? A 3/4 Compromise?

Meanwhile, the most respected leader in the whole country has serious doubts about holding elections:

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 22 - Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, the nation's most powerful Shiite leader, is growing increasingly concerned that nationwide elections could be delayed, his aides said, and has even threatened to withdraw his support for the elections unless changes are made to increase the representation of Shiites, according to one Iraqi source close to him.

According to people with knowledge of the talks, Ayatollah Sistani is concerned that the nascent democratic process here is falling under the control of a handful of the largest political parties, which cooperated with the American occupation and are comprised largely of exiles.

I think the Times spelled "exiles" wrong. It should go "puppets." Pronounced the same, however.