recount

The Associated Press
BAGHDAD — Iraq's president on Sunday demanded a recount in this month's parliamentary elections, intensifying the political conflict over the not-yet-completed tally and increasing the chances that the vote will be a long, chaotic test of the nascent democracy.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition is narrowly trailing in the overall vote tally to one led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, with 95% of the vote counted. Al-Maliki is still leading in the province-by-province count, which is how the seats for the parliament will be apportioned.

President Jalal Talabani, whose own coalition is losing to Allawi's secular alliance in a key province, invoked the power of his office in calling for a recount. On his official website, Talabani demanded that the Independent High Electoral Commission manually recount the ballots.

The commission has rejected such calls, and Iraqi law empowers neither Talabani nor al-Maliki to force the issue. The panel is an independent body appointed by the parliament.

The head of the election commission, Faraj al-Haidari, urged the political parties to be patient Sunday and scoffed at the idea that a manual recount would be more accurate than the computerized count nearing completion.

"If you do not believe in the most advanced counting technologies, then how are you going to believe in an employee using pen and paper?" al-Haidari asked.

maliki is a real piece of work. using past religeous hatred to spur possible violence to get his way. now who does that remind me of?

Umm Chloe, did you read the article? Maliki is the PM. Talabani, the President called for the recount.

bwilson, maliki has also called for a recount and stated he is commander in chief of the iraqi forces as in a threat! so yeah i read it and a number of others direct from the iraqi media.

Yeah, I know. But maliki's request was rejected. Talinabi's will be too. Neither of them have power to force. Election committee to recount. If they do recount it will be from fear of one or both of these men. At that point democracy will be on a downhill slope for iraq. I hope thee is not a recount and everyone will accept it. We'll see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson52

Yeah, I know. But maliki's request was rejected. Talinabi's will be too. Neither of them have power to force. Election committee to recount. If they do recount it will be from fear of one or both of these men. At that point democracy will be on a downhill slope for iraq. I hope thee is not a recount and everyone will accept it. We'll see.

According to the news that has come out on this issue, no person has submitted an official request for a recount. Many people have 'suggested' it, but until someone does make that request 'officially' their response is 'no recounts'. Which makes sense, IMO, because otherwise the person that 'suggested' it could use the committee as a scapegoat in the press around the world - "I only made a suggestion to recount, it was them that decided to do this and hold up the formation of the new government". Like I said JMHO.

Thanks for the post.