1/30/2005
Iraq’s elections in spite of the terrorist threats
Al-Qaida’s top operative in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said
“We have declared a bitter war against democracy and all those who seek to enact it,’ Zarqawi announced, adding that “democracy is based on the right to choose your religion,’ and that’s “against the rule of Allah.’
Looks to me as though a different voice is speaking here…the Voice of God…the God that believes in freedom, not Allah. Today I am privately celebrating for an Iranian friend of mine, a Kurd, whose father was murdered under the Ayatollah Khoemeini. It is my hope that all of the kurds in Iraq will be breathing a little bit easier today and in the future. And for all the people who were tortured, and oppressed under Saddam, this is a good day. God bless all those who’ve lost their lives–both under Saddam’s regime, and in the fight against the terrorists. It’s not over, but this is a huge accomplishment for the Iraqi people and their future.
“I came here to vote for our goal, which is freedom,” said Abu Ahmed, a 55-year-old Shiite voter in Baqouba north of Baghdad.
Iraqis risk their lives to vote click here
Expatriates Rejoice as Voting Begins
Iraqis Express Pride, Hope at Election
“This is democracy,” the elderly woman said proudly, holding up a thumb stained with the purple ink used to mark those who had voted. “This is the first day I feel freedom.”
Condi: Election Going Better Than Expected
Rice praised the bravery of Iraqi voters and acknowledged “there are going to be many, many difficult days ahead.”
“What we are seeing here is the emergence of an Iraqi voice of freedom,” Rice said in the first response to the election from the Bush administration.
“No, it’s not a perfect election,” Rice conceded, but she called it a positive development no one had foreseen three years ago when Saddam Hussein was still the dictator of Iraq.
Rice spoke Sunday morning less than an hour before the Iraqi poll closing.
Iraqi voters queue outside a polling station in the capital Baghdad January 30, 2005. Millions of Iraqis flocked to vote in a historic election Sunday, defying insurgents who killed 25 people in bloody attacks aimed at wrecking the poll. Iraqis, some ululating with joy, others hiding their faces in fear, voted in much higher-than-expected numbers in their first multi-party election in half a century. USAF Photo by MSgt Dave Ahlschwede
With tears rolling down her eyes, a veiled Iraqi woman shows off her finger stained with blue ink and a small card reading ‘Elect Iraq after she cast her vote in a polling station in Amman, January 30, 2005
A group of Iraqi Kurds celebrate their country’s national elections outside a polling station in the northern city of Kirkuk, January 30, 2005.
Iraqi Shi’ite women line up to participate in their country’s national elections, outside a polling station in the holy city of Najaf, January 30, 2005.
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Long Time Gone linked with A picture is worth a thousand words...
January 30th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
Man, it is so amazing. Wonderful post, great photos. Thanks!
January 30th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
A picture is worth a thousand words…
And this one says it all.
Via Cao’s Blog
January 30th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
The good news coming out of Iraq can’t be quelled by the likes of Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer or anyone else. What a wonderful day for the Iraqi people!
January 30th, 2005 at 5:19 pm
How many votes did Kerry get?
January 30th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
Ogre, you’re a piece of work,
…Some people are playing this thing close to the vest (like Superhawk) who isn’t going to celebrate until the final numbers have been announced early this week, but the numbers …I’ve been seeing are over 60%. I’ m not sure if they’ll be as high as the 80% that I’ve seen projected in some places, but I understand the going was slow at first, and then their was a virtual explosion of people going to the polls. With some of those outfits the women wear, I don’t see how anyone could be identified by the terrorists…but security was so tight people had to walk to the polls, they couldn’t drive.
The pictures I’ve seen are hopeful, and particularly what I’ve heard from both expatriates and Iraqis in Iraq. The interesting thing is–I haven’t seen a whole lot about what the names of the parties are. I know one of them is the Communist party and that kind of dashes my hopes somewhat. Is Allawi representing the Communist party?
January 30th, 2005 at 6:31 pm
72% (as per US media)of registered Iraqi voters voted in this historic election. Their very lives were at risk, but they showed up. To these brave people, I salute each and every one of you. Many Iraqis’ walked miles to vote for the very opportunity for Democracy. 72%, where in the US we could only muster 60% in a high profile election. I guess we don’t appreciate what what we have here.
Perhaps we don’t realize what was fought for freedom.
I think the founding fathers and their message should never be forgotten. Their words and the constitution should never be diluted or compromised for the appeasement of some braying jackasses.
Sorry, back to Iraq, This is history and a very positive entry.
However, I am most curious to see the world opinion of this historic event.
It seems to me that the world press and especially our own, will chastize President George Bush no matter what he does. However, he stayed the course under enormous pressure and now millions of people went from the oppressed and silent to the first stage of freedom. Hmmm, I wonder if the average person in Syria, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc are watching this with any interest.
Now we must ask ourselves, is President Bush an idiot because he us not the best orator, or had some media gaffs for the media to feed off of?
OR
Maybe he had some forsight and conviction that some never would give him credit for. Nor would any on this planet make the sacrifice (except the UK and our allies) until the last shot was fired (France may want to help soon).
We have heard the following for a while haven’t we?
Everything about this war was wrong and many wrote as they were priveledged to all classified material. Where are the WMD? This is a war for oil! Halliburton, etc…..
Well, if you can talk to an Iraqi with a blue index finger, I insist you ask him/her.
Peace and Freedom to Iraqi People!