[lit-ideas] Re: The winner has already been selected?
- From: Judy Evans <judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 20:41:05 +0000
Friday, December 3, 2004, 8:06:05 PM, Phil Enns wrote:
PE> Judy Evans wrote:
PE> "why is the election of someone like Al-Zarqawi "silly"? Because it is
PE> unthinkable. Why is it unthinkable? Because of the range of candidates who
PE> will be deemed acceptable both internally and (let's be polite)
PE> "internationally". Why will they be deemed unacceptable? Because of the
PE> "political climate" that will surround the election, because of what we call
PE> "agenda-setting", "mobilization of bias", "non-decisions" and "the politics
PE> of anticipated reaction". Admittedly we political scientists analyse a world
PE> that now and then plays dirty pool and elects someone like Al-Zarkawi. But
PE> so far, so unlikely."
PE> The suggestion that Al-Zarqawi would be elected is silly because he is not
PE> an Iraqi.
Arnold Schwarzenegger to you, sweetheart.
But for the sake of discussion lets assume that he is. As Judy
PE> correctly points out, the political climate makes it virtually impossible
PE> for Al-Zarqawi to be elected. The obvious problem would be that since most
PE> Iraqis would like to see Al-Zarqawi dead, he wouldn't make it alive to
PE> election day. Furthermore, his base of supporters tend to vote with their
PE> bullets.
PE> But a more important point is that whoever is elected will have to have
PE> broad appeal, something extremists usually lack.
*Right*. You're getting there. But who decides what broad appeal is and
whether a candidate has it?
George Galloway has *massive* broad appeal, he got chucked out of the Labour
Party and so his constituency, despite being renowned as a fine local MP,
because of allegations made by certain newspapers. Grave allegations. They now
lie in shreds and tatters, the final blow having been dealt by a judge who
refused to accept The Telegraph's plea that it published the papers, which it
accepts are fake, "neutrally". But Gorgeous George will not get his seat
back...
And once elected, the
PE> individual will have to deal with the facts on the ground, namely over
PE> 150,000 coalition soldiers in the country, no viable army or police force
PE> and a deeply divided and suspicious population. A successful politician
PE> will therefore have to be a skilled mediator. Again, Al-Zarqawi would be
PE> ruled out.
you think the record of democratically elected politicians proves your case?
PE> I don't think it makes sense to talk about the 'wrong' politician being
PE> elected.
you started it
However, I do think it reasonable to be concerned that a bad or
PE> poor politician will be elected, and this has nothing to do with the US but
PE> with the political climate of Iraq.
oh well if you think the War on Iraq had no effect on the political climate of
Iraq, if you think the US Government will, this time, stand right back and say
"let any candidate bloom" and stick to it through the campaign and beyond, if
you think the UK soldiers' Hearts and Minds campaign (which I endorse) is
intended to influence no-one, carry on.
--
Judy Evans, Cardiff, UK
mailto:judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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