vote and/or die

January 28, 2005 6:02 PM

National Lampoon appears to be less than optimistic about the election in Iraq. Nevertheless, Bush seems to expect much of what's depicted in that satire, he manages to maintain higher hopes in the end. I'm sure Jim Henry would love to give a pre-election pep talk.
posted by ThePrawn (15 comments total)

They'll vote. The war is over. We'll leave.
posted by sled at 6:14 PM on January 28, 2005

Happy days are here again, sled?
posted by The White Hat at 6:42 PM on January 28, 2005

I've half a mind to send that link to riverbend, the "Baghdad Burning" blogger.
posted by alumshubby at 7:06 PM on January 28, 2005

It looks like there'll be more people outside Iraq voting than inside, at this rate. And i keep hearing more civil war talk too.
posted by amberglow at 7:13 PM on January 28, 2005

Well, whatever you think will happen, we should definitely pamper a negative outlook on the whole thing and hope for the worst. That way, we can all say, "I told ya so". A sour attitude... it's the only way.
posted by Witty at 7:33 PM on January 28, 2005

Is there a german word for laughing and crying simultaneously?

Schreienfreude? Schaden-Schreienfreude?
posted by destro at 7:43 PM on January 28, 2005

If there is one thing I have learned over the last four years, it's to be as negative and cynical as possible about everything. The election is no different.

Fantastic Lampoon link. The fake headlines are classic. Two from them in one day, and I thought they were defunct.
posted by Arch Stanton at 7:57 PM on January 28, 2005

from the IHT: Iraq: This election is a sham-- ... But as this blood-stained election shows, the complete breakdown of this plan has been one of the most colossal U.S. policy failures of the last half-century. Indeed, this is not an election that any democratic nation, or indeed any independent international electoral organization, would recognize as legitimate. ...--by Salim Lone, who was spokesman in Baghdad for the late U.N. envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.
posted by amberglow at 8:00 PM on January 28, 2005

If there is one thing I have learned over the last four years, it's to be as negative and cynical as possible about everything. The election is no different.

What a shame.
posted by Witty at 8:14 PM on January 28, 2005

The elections in Iraq resulting in something good are a bit like winning the lottery: very unlikely, but you hope it will happen anyway.

I honestly have no idea what is the best course of action in Iraq now. Obviously there was a wealth of things that the US government should have done (beginning with not invading in the first place, and moving on to reality based planning for the post-war period, just to name two). But as for actions that we can rationally expect to make things better given the miserable situation the Bush government created there? I'm drawing a blank.

If I prayed, I'd pray that I'm wrong about the likely success of the Iraqi elections. Since I don't pray, I'm just hoping really hard that it works out.

And yes I am also considering what I, as an ordinary citizen, can do with the most likely outcome of the Iraqi election (that is: violence, bloodshed, and the possible beginning of all out civil war) to improve things at home by weakening the fantasy-based government's grasp on power. Its only two years until the midterm elections, and we in the reality based community must make use of whatever political weapons our enemies hand us.

I pity the Iraqis for the most likely outcome of this, even while I hope that outcome does not become real. But I also plan to use their loss to politically punish the people who brought this whole miserable mess down on them.
posted by sotonohito at 8:16 PM on January 28, 2005

And i keep hearing more civil war talk too.

Where pray tell, do you 'hear' this? Who are your connections in Iraq?
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 9:01 PM on January 28, 2005

the reporters on MSNBC and CNN, Steve.
posted by amberglow at 9:06 PM on January 28, 2005

Fantastic Lampoon link. The fake headlines are classic. Two from them in one day, and I thought they were defunct.

They've got a new editor.
posted by Tlogmer at 11:05 PM on January 28, 2005

What a shame.

I may be wrong but I'm UPBEAT! So there.
posted by Space Coyote at 11:51 AM on January 29, 2005

The bumper stickers were amusing but the Lampoon feature went downhill from there.
posted by billsaysthis at 4:31 PM on January 29, 2005