The Proof's In The Pudding

In the next week I expect everything relating to the Iraqi elections to really ramp up. By “things ramping up,” I mean that we will unfortunately see an increase in the number and frequency of attacks by the so called “insurgents” (most of us call them terrorists.)

We will also see an increased frenzy of negative news coverage in the Main Stream Media, dutifully addressing the gory details of each and every single blast, lamenting the “perceived” deterioration of social and political conditions, along with a generous portion of endless hand-wringing as the self-appointed pundits and TV talking heads lament the impossibility of holding meaningful elections.

In the mean time, what will I be doing? I addition to being grateful for living here in the US (in a Red state) and having our latest national election cycle behind us, I’ll be closely following the Iraqi election through several Iraqi Web sites and Iraqi Blogs.

If you are interested in doing the same, here is what you need to do to keep up with the election events without relying on Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.

First, I don't endorse or otherwise believe everything I read on any blog or website and suggest that you use the same skepticism in kind. There is this site, The Middle East Research Institute, which has some interesting, sometimes biased, insights into the local goings on in Iraq.

Then there are apparently a good number of English speaking bloggers in Iraq that can be linked to through Iraqi Bloggers Central. One of the more controversial sources found in their links is this blog, Iraq the Model, which is supposed to be written by two Iraqi dentist brothers, Mohammed and Omar, that currently live in Iraq.

They must be doing something right because Shara Boxer (no relation to Barbara Boxer?) recently took a shot at these guys in a complete hatchet job NY Times story published in, of all sections, The Arts.

Domestic and International Bloggers are now fair game for the media and I expect them to do everything they can to deliver a big old “see we told you so” at every opportunity. In the words of President Bush...Bring It On!

No matter, we know who we are and we know what we are doing….This is going to be VERY INTERESTING.

Just Watch…