January 30, 2005

Of course, I had to stay up late and watch the election happen in Iraq...The polls opened with some blasts, mortars and suicide bombers but then, not to be deterred, Iraqis started coming out in droves to let their voices finally be heard!
Fox News is reporting that the folks in Abu Ghraib (!) are walking 13 miles to vote!
I'm a proud and happy to be an American today!
I send my prayers for peace and blessings to all freedom-loving Iraqis today and for all the days to follow and I'm just so glad that America--especially her military--made this all possible!
Long live the new Iraq!
Long live the U.S., the bringer of democracy, and God bless our Coalition!
And for the best TV coverage of the event early this morning in the US, you couldn't do any better than Geraldo Rivera's reporting live from Baghdad for FoxNews and thanks to blogger Johnny Dollar, here's the transcript:

Iraq, The Vote: 'One of the Most Amazing Things I've Ever Seen'

I don't want to overstate, because I'm very emotional right now. Because I was in that town, just behind me. These GIs have done it, they've created an environment, despite the explosions, despite all the news you've heard of the suicide bomber, snipers, this and that. In this town, in this community, with 15,000 registered voters, we have just returned from the polling place. It is absolutely packed. Roll the video. There are men, women, families coming. They are casting their ballot for the first time. It was so inspiring. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my entire life. It really is like the Berlin Wall going down in 1989. It really is like the beginning, like the dawn of the civil rights era, when black people could vote for the first time. It is the most amazing sight. Only a hard-bitten cynic, only a person with absolutely no upside to their feeling of optimism, could look askance at what is happening, truly happening today. People are applauding themselves, they look like Rocky coming out of the polling place. There are women voting for the first time, and it's just the most incredible thing. It's so heartwarming to see it.

Do read the rest of the piece--it will make you teary, elated and proud to be an American and joyful for the Iraqis!
Operation Iraqi Freedom worked: we made freedom possible in the Land between the Two Rivers!