Democratic Iraq
Shiites, Kurds, Christians and, most importantly, the Sunnis who boycotted the 2005 elections turned out in mass to participate in Iraq’s provincial elections today. Faced with threats of violence thousands or Iraqi security forces sealed the country’s borders, shut airports and banned vehicles in polling areas. Iraqi election officials gained accolades of U.N. and other foreign observers sent to monitor the election process. While the event was marred by mortar shells falling in Takrit, Saddam’s former home town, and a car bombing in Tuz Kharmatu where ethnic strife continues between rival Kurds and Turkman factions, proud Iraqis, men and women alike, crowded polling places, often with children in tow, to express their belief in their emerging democracy.
More than 14,000 candidates throughout Iraq openly campaigned for 440 seats on provincial councils. Only four years ago those seeking office faced death for their actions as did the voters who bravely exercised their franchise raising purple fingers as evidence of their deeds. They were the ones, along with the committed American forces, who showed the conviction of their beliefs that the risk was the path to liberation, not only from the oppression of Al-Qaeda, but the likes of Saddam Hussain who began the rain of terror and death that would plague the Iraqi people for nearly three decades and threaten the sovereignty of his neighbors.
This momentous event received little attention from the press and the Bush detractors who declared the “Surge” conceived by General David Petraeus a dismal failure. Barack Obama, our current President, Hillary Clinton, now our Secretary of State, Joe Biden, now Vice President, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed all took their turns casting the Bush effort a failure and brutally castigated General Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker in Congressional hearings in September of 2007 [ Petraeus, Crocker Shine Light on Feeble Contress ]. Hopefully Iraqi citizens will be smarter than to promote the candidates who have proven they don’t know what they’re doing!