Now, the present Iraqi regime can ban any candidate from running they choose. And no one denies it's a puppet regime, so in effect only folks satisfactory to Wolfowitz could get on the ballot. (Some, including me, would add that Sharon would have veto power, too, but that's another issue.)

So now only cherry-picked people can run, maybe only cherry-picked parts of the country could vote.

Some election, huh? An example of "democracy" as practiced by the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe that the US made so much fun of.

Anyway, the Sunni's are fighting the Americans, the Shiites are fighting the Americans, "much of the heartland of central and western Iraq remains a hostile zone for U. S. and Iraqi forces".

Plan would allow voting to proceed in January but might undermine credibility of the results.

"Much of the heartland of central and western Iraq remains a hostile zone for U.S. and Iraqi forces because of a Sunni Muslim-led insurgency.

"In the capital and to the south, meanwhile, a Shiite militia that launched bloody uprisings in the spring and summer has yet to be dismantled. In August alone, more than 1,000 U.S. troops were hurt and at least 63 killed."