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09/26/2004:

"Powell acknowledges problems in holding January elections in Iraq"

US Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged that organizing elections throughout Iraq in January could be difficult because of the unrest that has rocked the country.

"There will be polling stations that are shot at. There will be insurgents who will still be out there who will try to keep people from voting," Powell told CNN television's "Late Edition" program.

Still, he said, "I think what we have to keep shooting for, and what is achievable, is to give everybody the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election, to make the election fully credible, and something that will stand the test of the international community's examination."

He told the "Fox News Sunday" television program that the goal of the United States and the Iraqi government was to hold elections throughout Iraq.

"It is premature to judge that we cannot have full, free elections throughout the country," he said.

"I think it has to be throughout the country. It doesn't mean that everybody's got to vote on that particular day," he said.

"We don't need a 100 percent turnout of every single citizen."

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told a congressional committee Thursday that unrest might prevent elections from being held in parts of Iraq.

"Let's say you tried to have an election and you could have it in three-quarters or four-fifths of the country, but some places you couldn't, because the violence was too great," he said.

"Well, so be it," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "You have an election that's not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet."
yahoo.com

Dozens killed in Iraq violence as Egypt, Britain seek to free hostages yahoo.com
"...Intelligence sources indicated that approximately 10 terrorists were meeting at this location to plan operations targeting innocent Iraqi civilians and multinational forces," the US military said.

Two hospitals in the city reported receiving eight dead and 22 wounded, including women and children, while residents said many victims remained under the rubble.

At least two homes in the area were destroyed while others suffered significant damage.

An earlier US air strike on another alleged hideout of the militants killed seven Iraqis and wounded 11, again including women and children, according to medics.

Following the air strikes, twin car bombings struck US and Iraqi security forces west of Fallujah, causing casualties of both nationalities, a US commander said...

2700 attacks in August. Over 700 Iraqis killed. 1100 US wounded. 'Insurgents' have launched more than 100 attacks a day so far in September. Let's have an election! So what if it's not 'perfect'?