The Hindu : International : Iraq elections should not be put off: Bush

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Friday, Dec 03, 2004

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International

Iraq elections should not be put off: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, DEC. 2. The President, George W. Bush, has said that elections in Iraq should not be postponed. In remarks to the media before his meeting with the President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, at the White House, the President was asked to comment on reports that Iraqi security forces appeared to be underperforming and why it would be so bad to postpone elections in Iraq if there was the potential of those polls being seen as illegitimate.

" ... first of all, the elections should not be postponed. It's time for Iraqi citizens to go to the polls. And that's why we are very firm on the January 30 date," Mr. Bush replied making also the point that he honoured the request of military commanders to delay the departure of some troops and the expedition of others so that the elections could go forward.

"... it's time for this people to vote and I'm looking forward to it — it's one of those moments in history where a lot of people will be amazed that a society has been transformed so quickly from one of tyranny and torture and mass graves to one in which people are actually allowed to express themselves at the ballot," the President remarked.

Against numerous reports in the media that the Iraqi troops appear to be under-performing, Mr. Bush argued that the United States was working "hard" to train the Iraqis and that there were "certain" benchmarks. "... the strategy, of course, is to have the Iraqis defend their own freedom. And we want to help them have their Presidential elections."

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