Confusion in White House on Aim of Iraq Election

Stabilizing Iraq in time for parliamentary elections in January may be the driving force behind this week’s military offensive in Fallouja, but there could be some confusion at the White House over just what Iraqis will be voting on.

“Well, I’m confident when people realize that there’s a chance to vote on a president, they will participate,” President Bush said Wednesday when asked whether the participation of Sunni Muslims would be necessary to make the elections free and fair.

Bush went on to draw a comparison with recent presidential elections in Afghanistan.

“As I reminded our citizens prior to the Afghanistan elections, there’s a deep desire in every soul to vote and to be free, and to participate in the presidential elections,” he said.

In fact, Iraqis will not choose their president directly. They will be voting to choose a National Assembly of 275 members, which will elect from its members a president and two deputies and write a constitution.

The executive panel, in turn, will select a prime minister, who also must be a member of the Assembly.