Bush's stake huge in Iraq election (AP) -- Sunday's vote provides the world a chance to measure the results of a US-led war that has killed more than 1,400 Americans - and thousands more Iraqis - and is costing over $1 billion a week. If the elections lead to a stable government and open the way to a phased American withdrawal, Bush could win acclaim, cementing the legacy he seeks for spreading democracy through the Middle East.
Borowitz: "U.S. officials said that exit polls for the Iraqi elections will be unreliable because voters will be running too fast."

Excerpt from story re. election:
"You are looking for someone with especially bulky clothing," Lieutenant Visel, an Army infantryman from Uvalde, Texas, coaches his team. "Do a quick search, then get people into a safer area for another search, because an attack on the line could be as devastating as an attack on the election place."

Closing in on Vietnam Iraq has already cost more in current dollars than either the Civil War or World War I. It is about to pass the Korean War. We are on pace to pass Vietnam in two or three years.

Yeah, absolutely. This is a sovereign government. They're on their feet. We anticipated that, by the way, on the passing of sovereignty. And had the Allawi government said, "out," we would have been required to leave.

On the other hand, again, I think there's - obviously, it's very speculative. But I believe that most of the leaders that are there understand that the coalition troops are very important to helping them provide the stability necessary for people to gain confidence in their government.

A fundamental question also that I think a lot of Iraqis understand - and I do, too - is how do we make sure the Iraqi citizens view U.S. troops as helpers, not as occupiers. And to the extent that a coalition presence is viewed as an occupying force, it enables the insurgents, the radicals, to continue to impress people that the government really is not their government, and that the government is complicit in having their country occupied.

I view that as reasonable. I also view that as pretty hopeful that there's kind of a nationalistic sentiment that says, "This is my country." I mean to me, that's a positive sign that, you know, "We want to run our own affairs, we don't need to be occupied to survive."

On the other hand, there is a certain realism amongst the leadership - at least, the ones I've talked to - that says, "Look, there's much more work to do before we're ready to move out on our own."

More interview excerpts

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