Part 3
1
February 25, 2009 By Philip Forgit SAAB AL BOR, Iraq It’s Thursday night, an evening bustling with activity one might see on a Friday night in front of the theater at New Town. The Leaf Street market area in Saab al Bor packed with shoppers, pedestrians and cars. Provincial Council elections are two days away, and candi- dates are making their final push for vot- ers. Campaign posters are plastered everywhere, on taxis, donkey carts, and building sides. Campaign billboards mark every major intersection. An eight-car convoy of trucks and small cars adorned with Iraqi flags and logos of the Islamic Loyalty Party makes its way down the street. An oversized loud speaker mount- ed on one truck exhorts the people to vote for “208,” the number assigned to the party on the bal- lot. Children chant and wave from the back of another truck, and campaign workers walk alongside the political “circus” talking to shop owners and pedestrians, passing out leaflets for Islamic Loyalty’s candidates. Sheikh Adnan Atallah Ali Al Masari, dressed in the same dapper, olive green suit seen on campaign posters that adorn telephone poles and vacant building sides, gives an impromptu campaign speech promoting his National Movement for Renewal & Prosperity Party, number 266 on the ballot. The marketing concept of “branding” behind “the Solution” is reminiscent of the Obama “campaign for Change.” He talks of being known for fighting terror- ism in his area and promoting recon- struction. He talks about how he distrib- utes food to the poor and returning refugees known as “internally displaced persons.” Presumably, they may vote for him. He is relying on his posters, trinkets and word of mouth among his tribe and community to promote himself. Armed with posters, campaign litera- ture, key chains, pens, air fresheners and even tissue boxes, he “presses the flesh,” but with exceptions. Mostly, he will not shake hands. Hand to heart he will greet most, and never shake the hand of a woman. Men he knows will be greeted with the customary kiss in the air on the sides of both cheeks. While Sheikh Adnan campaigns, the U.S. Army is busy with preparations, making the rounds of eight schools that serve as polling stations. A bomb sniffing dog, Misty, searches schools and nearby vacant lots. Operation Repo Man, an effort to remove any abandoned vehicles that could hide bombs, is in its final stages, as an armored personnel carrier drags by the rusted skeleton of a car. The American commander, Capt. Digati, reviews security plans with the Iraqi Army and Police while his troops drop rolls of barbed wire to cordon off voter lines. Screening booths, also built by the U.S. Army, are set down outside polling stations so that female voters can be searched, in privacy, by female soldiers of the Iraqi Army. The booths and barbed wire will be the only physical American presence at the polls. Iraqis will provide security on election day with Americans watching from a distance. On Election Day, Digati and his pla- toon maintain watch from rooftops over- looking the polling sites. Cars are banned from the roads for fear of car bombs. There’s a festive quality to the day, with children out of school and playing in the streets. Voters exiting the polls express hope for the future and jubilantly raise ink-stained index fingers that have become a symbol of voting in Iraq. A steady stream of voters is seen all day but lines are never longer than 30-40 people. Outside the polls, two lines form, one for females and one for males. Once inside voting is integrated. Gensia, a civilian identification card, is presented as proof of identity, and names checked against a voter list. From there, the voters are given a poster-sized ballot. Some 106 parties are listed. Afterward, each voter deposits his or her vote in a plastic con- tainer, then dips their index finger in a bottle of indelible ink. At the end of the day, a crowd of men on Leaf Street, talk about the election. A woman fully covered in black except for her face, approaches, stained finger tri- umphant in the air, intent on sharing her view. “Nothing is better than the elec- tion,” she tells them, “but we need from those elected to provide security and pro- vide jobs for our sons. At this moment, I feel happy but at the same time the gov- ernment has to accomplish this-security and jobs. Inshalla.” In a chorus of affir- mation, the men gathered, echo “inshal- la” or “God willing.” Sheikh Adnan claims victory saying, “I’m very happy. The election was hon- est. All of Iraq is happy. I appreciate the voters and I hope I will do something good for them.” Next — Peace through soccer. Photos by Philip Forgit Above, “The Solution” logo for the National Movement for Renewal and Prosperity Party, listed on the ballot as Party 266. At left is Sheikh Adnan Atall Ali Al Masari, a Party 266 candidate who won election to the Provincial Council. Photos by Philip Forgit Election posters on Leaf Street in Saab Al Bor promote the party of former Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi. C AMPAIGNING , I RAQI STYLE Like American politics, candidates woo voters with promises, trinkets IRAQI VOICES Former Rawls Byrd Elementary School teacher Philip Forgit is embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, filming how the war has affected the Iraqi people. Third in a series.
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By Philip Forgit Former Rawls Byrd Elementary School teacher Philip Forgit is embedded with U.S.troops in Iraq, filming how the war has affected the Iraqi people. Third in a series. Election posters on Leaf Street in Saab Al Bor promote the party of former Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi. SAABALBOR,Iraq IIRRAAQQII VVOOIICCEESS Photos by Philip Forgit Photos by Philip Forgit
Transcript of Part 3
February 25, 2009
By Philip ForgitSAAB AL BOR, IraqIt’s Thursday night, an evening
bustling with activity one might see on aFriday night in front of the theater atNew Town. The Leaf Street market areain Saab al Bor packed with shoppers,pedestrians and cars. Provincial Councilelections are two days away, and candi-dates are making their final push for vot-ers. Campaign posters are plasteredeverywhere, on taxis, donkey carts, andbuilding sides. Campaign billboardsmark every major intersection.
An eight-car convoy of trucks andsmall cars adornedwith Iraqi flags andlogos of the IslamicLoyalty Party makesits way down thestreet. An oversizedloud speaker mount-ed on one truckexhorts the people tovote for “208,” thenumber assigned tothe party on the bal-lot. Children chant
and wave from the back of another truck,and campaign workers walk alongsidethe political “circus” talking to shopowners and pedestrians, passing outleaflets for Islamic Loyalty’s candidates.
Sheikh Adnan Atallah Ali Al Masari,dressed in the same dapper, olive greensuit seen on campaign posters that adorntelephone poles and vacant buildingsides, gives an impromptu campaignspeech promoting his NationalMovement for Renewal & ProsperityParty, number 266 on the ballot.
The marketing concept of “branding”behind “the Solution” is reminiscent ofthe Obama “campaign for Change.” Hetalks of being known for fighting terror-ism in his area and promoting recon-struction. He talks about how he distrib-utes food to the poor and returningrefugees known as “internally displacedpersons.” Presumably, they may vote forhim. He is relying on his posters, trinketsand word of mouth among his tribe andcommunity to promote himself.
Armed with posters, campaign litera-ture, key chains, pens, air fresheners andeven tissue boxes, he “presses the flesh,”but with exceptions. Mostly, he will notshake hands. Hand to heart he will greetmost, and never shake the hand of awoman. Men he knows will be greetedwith the customary kiss in the air on thesides of both cheeks.
While Sheikh Adnan campaigns, theU.S. Army is busy with preparations,making the rounds of eight schools thatserve as polling stations. A bomb sniffingdog, Misty, searches schools and nearbyvacant lots. Operation Repo Man, aneffort to remove any abandoned vehiclesthat could hide bombs, is in its finalstages, as an armored personnel carrier
drags by the rusted skeleton of a car. TheAmerican commander, Capt. Digati,reviews security plans with the IraqiArmy and Police while his troops droprolls of barbed wire to cordon off voterlines. Screening booths, also built by theU.S. Army, are set down outside pollingstations so that female voters can besearched, in privacy, by female soldiersof the Iraqi Army. The booths and barbedwire will be the only physical Americanpresence at the polls. Iraqis will providesecurity on election day with Americanswatching from a distance.
On Election Day, Digati and his pla-toon maintain watch from rooftops over-looking the polling sites. Cars are bannedfrom the roads for fear of car bombs.There’s a festive quality to the day, withchildren out of school and playing in thestreets. Voters exiting the polls expresshope for the future and jubilantly raiseink-stained index fingers that havebecome a symbol of voting in Iraq. A
steady stream of voters is seen all day butlines are never longer than 30-40 people.
Outside the polls, two lines form, onefor females and one for males. Onceinside voting is integrated. Gensia, acivilian identification card, is presentedas proof of identity, and names checkedagainst a voter list. From there, the votersare given a poster-sized ballot. Some 106parties are listed. Afterward, each voterdeposits his or her vote in a plastic con-tainer, then dips their index finger in abottle of indelible ink.
At the end of the day, a crowd of menon Leaf Street, talk about the election. Awoman fully covered in black except forher face, approaches, stained finger tri-umphant in the air, intent on sharing herview. “Nothing is better than the elec-tion,” she tells them, “but we need fromthose elected to provide security and pro-vide jobs for our sons. At this moment, Ifeel happy but at the same time the gov-ernment has to accomplish this-securityand jobs. Inshalla.” In a chorus of affir-mation, the men gathered, echo “inshal-la” or “God willing.”
Sheikh Adnan claims victory saying,“I’m very happy. The election was hon-est. All of Iraq is happy. I appreciate thevoters and I hope I will do somethinggood for them.”
Next — Peace through soccer.
Photos by Philip Forgit
Above, “The Solution” logo for theNational Movement for Renewal andProsperity Party, listed on the ballot asParty 266. At left is Sheikh Adnan AtallAli Al Masari, a Party 266 candidatewho won election to the ProvincialCouncil.
Photos by Philip Forgit
Election posters on Leaf Street in Saab Al Bor promote the party of former Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi.
CAMPAIGNING,IRAQI STYLELike American politics, candidateswoo voters with promises, trinkets
IIRRAAQQII VVOOIICCEESS Former Rawls
Byrd ElementarySchool teacherPhilip Forgit isembedded withU.S. troops in Iraq,filming how thewar has affectedthe Iraqi people.Third in a series.
