January 29, 2005
Iraq and Hope
People in Iraq will very soon start to vote. There has been tremendous criticism of this election. There are all kinds of problems. There is violence, which is likely to escalate. Polling places are secret as are those who are running. All cars are banned from some areas, and all telephone service will be shut down. Some areas of the country will largely be excluded from voting at all. All in all an incredible scenario for a free election. But keep in mind that potentially 14 million Iraqi's will risk their lives to vote. That is an amazing show of courage and hope on the part of Iraqis.
I do not, and never had supported the US invasion of Iraq. I do not support our ongoing occupation of Iraq. I did not support Saddam Hussein either. But I honor the courage of the Iraqi people. I honor the realistic approach of the Iraqi people.
"Realistic?" one might ask. Yes, the people of Iraq realize that the only way to end the occupation of their country is to proceed with forming a new government. Without that in place, there is little hope that the US and the coalition will leave Iraq. Sunday, they will take their lives in their hands - not to elect a new government, but to elect those who will create an new government.
Some in Iraq are violently fighting the US, and others are attacking Iraqis who they paint as conspirators for working with the US and contractors. Of course, there aren't many employment options outside the private contracts and working for the US military, but that does not seem to deter those who are killing their own people.
So the Iraqis who vote are also taking up arms in the struggle - not the arms of guns and bombs; not the arms of kidnapping and killing of hostages; but the "arms" of the ballot box - in an effort to take back their country and create something that is theirs. I pray for the safety of those who risk so much in the struggle for their land and their people.
Posted by rowan at January 29, 2005 5:27 PM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |Rowan, I'm curious if you've seen "Inside Iraq", the film by a Portlander playing at Laurelhurst Theatre right now. Amazing and real look at the people.
Posted by: Emily at January 29, 2005 9:37 PMNo I haven't seen that. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted by: rowan at January 29, 2005 10:57 PMI read several different reports that indicted that there was a 72% turnout ... 72%!! That is a huge statement of the resilience of the Iraqis, and, as Rowan points out, their determination to reclaim their country despite a variety of opposing fronts. I read about people in wheelchairs and carts being pushed several miles so they could vote and husbands and wives walking for 20 minutes to a polling place.
Then I think of our voter turnout, which did improve in the last election, but pales in comparison to the threats and obstacles the Iraqis overcame in order to vote.
So, for that I feel hopeful.
Posted by: Pamela at January 30, 2005 6:39 PMI think the 72% turn out is somewhat over-reporting. There were numerous places (primarily in the "Sunni Triangle") where there was virtually no voting at all. Certainly, the Kurds had incredibly high turnout. One of the things that will be problematic with turnout statistics is what percentage of eligible voters were 1) able to register to vote and 2) were able to vote. In Samara for example, the polls never opened.
This is not meant to demean the bravery of those who did vote.
One question that is not at all clear to me at this point is who is the government? The election today was to elect a constitutional congress - not a government. Does the interrim government stay in power?
Posted by: rowan at January 30, 2005 7:04 PMIt was indeed a day in vindication of President Bush. You might like this excerpt of an article in the NY Post:
BAGHDAD — The man replacing the mayor of Baghdad — who was assassinated for his pro-American loyalties — says he is not worried about his ties to Washington.
In fact, he'd like to erect a monument to honor President Bush in the middle of the city.
"We will build a statue for Bush," said Ali Fadel, the former provincial council chairman. "He is the symbol of freedom."
Posted by: Bushrod at January 30, 2005 11:52 PMI have no idea what is meant by a "vindication" of President Bush. I do think it speaks to the tremendous courage of the people of Iraq to claim their autonomy.
Posted by: rowan at January 31, 2005 8:29 AMThe purple fingers and smiles:
That pretty much sums it up, but for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of being an American. Despite the attacks and murders and threats to those who would vote, more people turned out to vote than we Americans did to elect a President. That is simply disgusting and apalling. What a bunch of arrogant, self-centered *&*(#&$*#& we are. We have people living within a few blocks from polling places that don't get off their fat a**** to vote - for shame.
Hopefully the troops can soon depart but I do suspect there will be war with Iran next - remember, they have a massive oil field that is just opening up. Part of the invasion of Afghanistan was to secure the Western flank of Iran. Such logistical proximity was too tempting to ignore for Bush and Co. It would take but a few million dollars to send Sunni Muhajadeen raiding into Shi'ite Iran from Afghanistan with US ground forces on either flank and air power on both flanks and from the south off carriers. Do I want this? No, but I expect it will happen next year.
Posted by: goesh at January 31, 2005 9:35 AMIraqi Voting Disrupts News Reports of Bombings
by Scott Ott
(2005-01-30) -- News reports of terrorist bombings in Iraq were marred Sunday by shocking graphic images of Iraqi "insurgents" voting by the millions in their first free democratic election.
Despite reporters' hopes that a well-orchestrated barrage of mortar attacks and suicide bombings would put down the so-called 'freedom insurgency', hastily-formed battalions of rebels swarmed polling places to cast their ballots -- shattering the status quo and striking fear into the hearts of the leaders of the existing terror regime.
Hopes for a return to the stability of tyranny waned as rank upon rank of Iraqi men and women filed out of precinct stations, each armed with the distinctive mark of the new freedom guerrillas -- an ink-stained index finger, which one former Ba'athist called "the evidence of their betrayal of 50 years of Iraqi tradition."
Journalists struggled to put a positive spin on the day's events, but the video images of tyranny's traitors choosing a future of freedom overwhelmed the official story of bloodshed and mayhem.