Fear Grips Iraqi Voters

More bombs targeted U.S. troops in Iraq, displaying the high cost of a stepped-up campaign against militants. Now that November's U.S. soldier death toll is the highest in the history of the Iraq war, the question arises: Is Iraq getting safer? And another is raised by several Iraqi faction leaders: Will Iraq be safe enough to hold a fair election?

President Bush insists it will. But CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier talked with Iraqis who, with two months until the polling date, say voting would mean risking their life, and that's too high of a price.

The coalition has barely more than two months to make Iraqis feel safe enough to vote. But militants are using violence and a boastful stream of videotaped propaganda of attacks on U.S. forces to make many

Some believe just talking about elections can get them killed.

"He might attack me before I vote, he might be waiting for me after I go home," an Iraqi man told Dozier.

In a rare interview, John Negroponte, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, told Dozier that much of the country is secure, and in two months, it will be safer still.

"Security conditions will be adequate for these elections to go forward," Negroponte said.

He said he believes conditions are already right for a democratic election to take place, in all but three provinces. Even in those danger zones, he thinks the turnout might be surprisingly high.

"The Iraqi people do want to vote; there's a great deal of interest in voting," Negroponte said. "All the polling data suggest that, so I would suspect we could see a strong interest in voting, even in those provinces."

In Sunni areas such as Tikrit, where Saddam loyalists are fighting elections, provincial governors and the local U.S. commander are trying to convince Sunnis to take a chance.

The Shi'ites, who make up the majority of Iraq's population, have actually been ordered by their leaders to vote, despite the dangers. U.S. and Iraqi officials say it's a tough test for the Iraqi people. They can go to the polls and choose a new government…or stay away, and be governed by fear.

"Maybe I will die when I vote," one Iraqi told Dozier.

She asked him, "So, you will do what you need to survive? And that means no voting?"

He replied, "Yeah."

While some Iraqis see voting as a declaration of independence from terrorism, others have decided democracy is no good, if you're not around to enjoy it.