By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Republican congressman John Shimkus of Collinsville says a recent trip to Jordan did not convince him that it is necessary to postpone elections in Iraq.
Shimkus accompanied three female members of Congress to meet with a group of Iraqi women candidates for the January 30th elections. He says calls to delay voting because of recent attacks by insurgents don't take into consideration the effect of such a move.
"No one has any faith in the ability of a postponed election," Shimkus says. "In fact, there's fear that you just encourage the insurgents and that there's more danger, death and destruction."
Shimkus says 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces are secure. He says that two are in real trouble and two others are still having some problems with insurgents.