久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Millions of Iraqis vote in relative peace
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-16 08:31

Millions of Iraqis, from tribal sheiks to entire families with children in tow, turned out Thursday to choose a parliament in a mostly peaceful election.

So many Sunni Arabs voted that ballots ran out in some places. The strong participation by Sunnis, the backbone of the insurgency, bolstered U.S. hopes that the election could produce a broad-based government capable of ending the daily suicide attacks and other violence that have ravaged the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Difficult times lie ahead, however. The coalition of religious Shiite parties that dominates the current government is expected to win the biggest portion of the 275 seats, but will almost certainly need to compromise with rival factions, with widely differing views, to form a government.

Up to 11 million of the nation's 15 million registered voters took part, election officials estimated, which would put overall turnout at more than 70 percent.

Iraqi election officials count the votes at an election center in Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, Dec. 15, 2005.
Iraqi election officials count the votes at an election center in Baghdad, Iraq Thursday, Dec. 15, 2005.[AP]
Many Sunnis said they voted to register their opposition to the Shiite-led government and to speed the end of the U.S. military presence.

"Liberation is the most important thing for all Iraqis," said Sunni grocer Omar Badry. "I don't care if we die of thirst and hunger, as long as the Americans leave."

Opposition to the American military presence runs deeper among Sunni Arabs, the minority group which enjoyed a privileged position under Saddam, than among any of Iraq's other religious and ethnic communities.

While Sunnis were defiant, Shiites and Kurds seemed hopeful the new government would be more successful than the outgoing one in restoring security.

A common theme, however, appeared to be a yearning for an end to the turmoil that has engulfed Iraq since the U.S.-led coalition invaded in March 2003 to topple Saddam's regime.

"The first thing we want from the new government is security," said Hussein Ali Abbas, a 66-year-old Shiite as he voted at Baghdad's city hall. "We are surviving but it is a struggle."

Officials said it could take at least two weeks until final results are announced for the parliament, which will serve a four-year term.

An electoral independent commission worker examines a ballot box as voting begins during Iraq's historical parliamentary elections in the Iraqi city of Basra, 549km (341 miles) south of Baghdad, December 15, 2005.
An electoral independent commission worker examines a ballot box as voting begins during Iraq's historical parliamentary elections in the Iraqi city of Basra, 549km (341 miles) south of Baghdad, December 15, 2005. [Reuters]
Violence was light. Insurgent groups, as promised, generally refrained from attacks on polling stations. In the Sunni Arab militant stronghold of Ramadi, masked gunmen provided by local sheiks guarded polling stations, frisking voters as they entered.

Thursday's election appeared on track to record more votes than any other parliamentary election in an Arab country 錕斤拷 though more than 17 million people voted in a May referendum in Egypt, and more than 14.6 million in a September referendum in Algeria, according to IFES, a nonprofit organization that supports building democratic societies.

"The number of people participating is very, very high, and we have had very few irregularities," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told The Associated Press. "It is a good day so far 錕斤拷 good for us, good for Iraq."

US President Bush called it "a major step forward in achieving our objective." U.S. officials hope a broad-based government will be able to quell the bloodshed so that the United States can begin to bring troops home next year.
Page: 12



Probe launched into fuel depot blaze near London
Kashmiri earthquake survivor
Sixth WTO Ministerial Conferences to open
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

China reports 6th human case of bird flu

 

   
 

China shores up pension system

 

   
 

WFP ends China food aid, calls for donation

 

   
 

India, China to speed up border dispute talks

 

   
 

Birthplace of China martial arts damaged

 

   
 

Experts begin testing cross-border river

 

   
  Millions of Iraqis vote in relative peace
   
  East Asia Summit: new mode for regional cooperation
   
  US using live viruses to create nasal vaccines against bird flu
   
  UN names ex-President Bush envoy on Pakistan quake
   
  UN approves US$500m fund on humanitarian emergencies
   
  White House, McCain in deal on torture measure
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 大学生一级一片第一次欧美 | 成人欧美一区二区三区 | 亚洲免费视频观看 | 成人国产一区 | 国产精品久久久久一区二区 | 一级毛片儿 | 狠色狠狠色狠狠狠色综合久久 | 99久久香蕉国产综合影院 | 最新主播福利视频在线观看 | 国产一级一片 | 高清毛片一区二区三区 | 亚洲成人在线网 | 国内精品小视频福利网址 | 久久久久久久性潮 | 日本aaa视频 | 亚洲国产精品ⅴa在线观看 亚洲国产精品aaa一区 | 在线免费看一级片 | 亚洲欧美片 | 国内精品伊人久久久久妇 | 久久久全国免费视频 | 毛片大片 | 精品国产欧美一区二区最新 | 欧美成人免费一区在线播放 | 久久久网久久久久合久久久久 | 欧美一区亚洲 | 美女131爽爽爽做爰中文视频 | 久久极品| 67194成人手机在线 | 国产精品自拍视频 | 91在线亚洲 | 久久精品系列 | 一区二区影视 | 97视频在线观看免费 | 久久国产精品免费 | 日韩一区在线播放 | 久久久久久久性高清毛片 | 亚洲美女在线观看播放 | 农村寡妇偷毛片一级 | 一区二区三区视频免费观看 | 99久久久精品免费观看国产 | 精品一区二区三区中文字幕 |