*Ø* Blogmanac | Citing California, Iraqis Reject Democracy!

In what was seen as a setback to the establishment of democratic institutions in Iraq, the Iraqi Governing Council today voted unanimously to reject democracy as a form of government, citing the California gubernatorial race as a worst-case scenario. “The Americans say that what has happened in California cannot possibly happen here,” said Abdul al-Shibli, a council representative from Mosul. “We are not prepared to take that risk.”

Interim Iraqi administrator L. Paul Bremer III had attempted a blackout of news from the Golden State, arguing that coverage of California’s election would “not be helpful” at this sensitive stage in the evolution of Iraqi democracy. But much to Mr. Bremer’s dismay the al-Jazeera television network beamed reports about the California race into Iraq late Friday, stirring fresh fears about democracy as a viable form of government in this war-torn country.

"Saddam Hussein was a brutal madman, but at least he was qualified,” said Mr. al-Shibli, in an apparent reference to California’s motley field of candidates.

Gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger, campaigning on Sunday in Carmel, California, seemed not to hear reporters’ shouted questions about the Iraqi controversy, saying only, “I have so much energy! I have so much fire!” A spokesman for Mr. Schwarzenegger later clarified the candidate’s remarks, saying, “Mr. Schwarzenegger has so much energy and so much fire.”

In other California election news, actor Ben Affleck today became the latest Hollywood celebrity to file for candidacy in the gubernatorial race. According to observers who have seen Mr. Affleck’s most recent film “Gigli”, Mr. Affleck had already given up acting.

Source: SatireSearch