A tiger can't change its stripes...

As usual, Bush presented a rosier picture about Iraq and its new parliamentary elections than reality seems to offer. In other words, he lied.

He said, rightly so, that it was unprecedented and historical that the citizens of Iraq could freely vote, but accusations of voting irregularities and rigging have surfaced that put the whole election result into question.

Actually, Bush might be caught in a catch 22 here, since he can't denounce the election as irregular and call for a do over (since he'd lose face, not having allowed one when his first dubious election was called into question) and at the same time is faced with the same religious fanatics who rule Iran to take over in Iraq. What a position. No wonder the guy looks 20 years older then when he took office 5 years ago!

Obviously, nobody knows what will happen, but the secular parties and the Sunnis are already threatening to refuse the results and boycott the next parliament if an international review isn't conducted. Well, wouldn't that be a pretty sight?!

A few quotes from Yahoo! articles here:

Dozens of Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups threatened to boycott Iraq's new legislature Thursday if complaints about tainted voting are not reviewed by an international body.

A representative for former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi described the Dec. 15 vote as "fraudulent" and the elected lawmakers "illegitimate."

A joint statement issued by 35 political groups that competed in last week's elections said the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, which oversaw the ballot, should be disbanded.

It also said the more than 1,250 complaints about fraud, ballot box stuffing and intimidation should be reviewed by international organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference or the Arab League.
[...]
"We hold the IECI responsible for all the violations which took place during the elections and demand that it be dissolved and a suitable alternative to be found," said the statement read by Ali al-Timimi, the head of the Hilla al-Fayha List, a secular Shiite ticket Babil province south of the capital.

"If this is not achieved, then we will have no choice but to refuse the results and boycott the new parliament."

and here:

More than 10,000 people marched through Baghdad on Tuesday in support of a national unity government of Sunnis and Shiites.
[...]
Officials said insurgents were trying to deepen the political turmoil surrounding the contested vote. Preliminary figures have given a big lead to the religious Shiite bloc that controls the current interim government.
[...]
Sunni Arab and secular Shiite factions are demanding that an international body review more than 1,500 complaints, warning they may boycott the new legislature. They also want new elections in some provinces, including Baghdad. The United Nations has rejected an outside review.

"We will resort to peaceful options, including protests, civil disobedience and a boycott of the political process until our demands are met," said Hassan Zaidan al-Lahaibi of the Sunni-dominated Iraqi Front for National Dialogue. He spoke in neighboring Jordan, where representatives of the groups have met in recent days.

Isn't democracy fun!