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Fighting to the Polls in Mosul

Jan-15-2005 » Filed Under: TF Olympia

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By Louise Roug, Times Staff Writer

MOSUL, Iraq — On a recent morning, a stream of armored vehicles brought American and Albanian soldiers here to lock down the Mosul airfield.

A few hours later, U.S. Ambassador John D. Negroponte and top American military commanders Gen. George W. Casey and Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz arrived in a swarm of helicopters to meet with Iraqi election officials. Introductions didn't take long. The commission overseeing elections in Iraq's third-largest city numbers two people.

Although U.S. officials insist elections will take place, there are significant hurdles to overcome before the Jan. 30 poll. Mosul, with 1.8 million residents, has become so volatile that American soldiers who work on community projects no longer maintain contact with the local population.

On city streets, no posters or fliers advertise the election, but leaflets threaten beheadings for those who vote.

The entire election staff resigned last month, and the local government has two weeks left to recruit and train 800 workers needed at polling sites throughout the province.

"We're starting from scratch," said Maj. Tony Cruz of the 426 Civil Affairs Battalion.

Mosul, considered a model city early in the U.S.-led occupation, has become a high-stakes battleground for insurgents intent on preventing the vote and American officials determined to ensure that it takes place. The credibility of the entire election could be threatened if violence prevents large numbers of voters here and in a neighboring province that includes Fallouja from casting ballots.


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