The elections in Iraq taking place on January 30, 2005 have been hailed by the Bush administration as the historic first step towards a free and democratic Iraq. Many analysts caution that even a high turnout will not quell the violence which has been steadily escalating.

Major issues include whether or not the Sunni minority will participate. A disenfranchised Sunni population could lead to an internal civil war. Also at issue is the safety of voters, the safety of vote counters and whether the results will be viewed as legitimate by Iraqis and the world.

Tune in for a preview of the January 30 elections in Iraq.

Guests:

John Burns, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and Baghdad bureau chief for the New York Times

Anthony Shadid, Pulitzer Prize winning Islamic affairs correspondent for the Washington Post and author of “Legacy of the Prophet: Despots, Democrats, and the New Politics of Islam”

Rami Khouri, executive editor for The Daily Star of Lebanon

Anthony Cordesman, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, former national security assistant to Senator John McCain for the Senate Armed Services Committee, formerly worked in both the State Department and the Department of Defense

Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and director of the Democracy Program at Stanford’s Institute for International Studies, former senior adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq (January-April 2004).