"The fact, however, is that the Iraqi elections weren't about the free election of a government reflecting the will of the Iraqi people, but the carefully engineered selection of a government that would behave in a manner dictated by the United States. In Iraq, democracy was hijacked by the Americans."

From AlterNet. Of course, Raed Jarrar has been saying this from the beginning. As much as I could, I wanted to 'not' believe it. Faiza seems to reflect a more moderate opinion; she speaks of the parties arguing it out and eventually settling upon something beneficial for all Iraqis. One can only pray.
There are just so very many things in the news these days that outrage me. I was moved to send an email (to 5 or 6 people!) entitled "Duuude, where's my country?" after reading yet another AlterNet story lead
(BEYOND THE GOD POD
Silja J.A. Talvi, Santa Fe Reporter
The nation's biggest private prison corporation is forging strong ties with a fundamentalist Christian ministry, blurring the line between church and state and harkening a new turn in corrections toward Christian-based programming.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/21457/--


Now that is downright scary. You could write a science fiction book about that. Oh wait, there have been three or four already.