I'm not sure what it is about constant insurgent attacks and war that would make truly democratic elections difficult, but for some reason, the Iraqis are looking to postpone their elections for a while:

Leading Iraqi politicians called Friday for a six-month delay in the Jan. 30 election because of the spiraling violence as U.S. forces uncovered more bodies in the northern city of Mosul, apparent victims of an intimidation campaign by insurgents against Iraq's fledgling security forces.

Asked about their demand for the election to be postponed, President George W. Bush, at his vacation home in Texas, said, "The Iraqi Election Commission has scheduled elections in January, and I would hope they'd go forward in January."

But the country's deputy prime minister told an audience Friday in Wales that sticking to the election timetable would be difficult because of the security crisis.

Link.

Gosh is this surprising!