NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — election-jan-2005 — Viewing Item

Cia sought to influence elections Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx/2005/07/18/afx2142201.html http://www.forbes.com/finance/feeds/afx/2005/07/18/afx2142201.html AFX News Limited US sought to influence Iraq elections - report 07.18.2005, 05:15 AM WASHINGTON (AFX) - President George Bush's administration sought to influence the outcome of Iraq's January elections, using covert operations to avoid a landslide by Shiite Muslims close to Iran, according to a US magazine article released yesterday. The Bush administration debated last year whether to give direct support to former Iraqi interim prime minister Iyad Allawi, a secular Shiite favoured by US officials, and other parties seen as close to the US, according to the New Yorker. But the plan was opposed by non-governmental organizations brought in to help with the elections, and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage put an end to the project, according to the article. In the same period, however, 'the White House promulgated a highly classified presidential 'finding', authorising the CIA to provide money and other support covertly to political candidates in certain countries who, in the Administration's view, were seeking to spread democracy,' the magazine said, citing former military and intelligence officials. 'The finding was general,' an unidentified recently retired high-level CIA official told the New Yorker. 'But there's no doubt that Baghdad was a stop on the way,' he said. newsdesk@afxnews.com /lt/mk/ims COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved.

280 thousand iraqi exiles to vote absentee { January 27 2005 } 30cnd iraq.2 [jpg] An israeli rediscovers his iraqi roots { January 30 2005 } Baghdad voting linked to food rations Behind the scenes aid to candidates { July 17 2005 } Blair hails iraqi election as blow to global terrorism Cia sought to influence elections Confusion surrounds iraq poll turnout { January 30 2005 } Election complaints emerge in iraq Gorbachev calls iraqi elections fake { February 1 2005 } Gunmen kill three iraqi candidates Insurgents vowing to kill iraqis who brave the polls { January 26 2005 } Iraq kurdish president calls shiite pm to step down Iraq shuts down to vote Iraq suffers bloody day of assassinations and recounts { February 9 2005 } Iraqi expats in chicago are skeptical Iraqi kurds vote in droves Iraqi kurds warns shiite prime minister Iraqi parliament set to name kurd as new president Iraqi press under attack from iraq authorities { May 2 2005 } Iraqi vote shows shiite party leading { February 3 2005 } Iraqis around the world register for homeland vote { January 24 2005 } Iraqis brave bombs to vote in their millions Iraqis danced with joy as they voted sunday Iraqis report complaints about election irregularities { February 2 2005 } Kurd is named iraqs president as tensions boil { April 7 2005 } New iraqi government takes office { May 4 2005 } On baghdads closed streets a party atmosphere during vote { January 30 2005 } Poll workers in sunni areas scared off { January 31 2005 } Procedures for voting in iraqi election { January 22 2005 } Shia and kurdish voters flocked to polling stations { January 30 2005 } Shiite cleric sadr doesnt call for election boycott { January 24 2005 } Skeptics question worth of iraq election { January 28 2005 } Split vercict in iraq vote sets stage for weak government { February 14 2005 } Sunni polling stations never opened Sunnis will vote if US troops leave Top iraqi candidates wont press for US withdrawal US avoids politcal fight among iraqis { March 31 2005 } US funded programs nurture voting process { January 26 2005 } US says no influence on elections { July 18 2005 } US tried to influence iraq vote US troops must stay until iraqis can defeat insurgency { January 26 2005 } Vietnam 1967 election turnout was good as well { February 1 2005 } Voting program targets expatriates { January 23 2005 } Files Listed: 44

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