Iraq elections

Iraq had its elections on Thursday. Initial estimates show that around 70% of voters came to the polls. This is an exciting time in Iraq. This may cool the Sunni-backed insurgency a little bit as well as strengthen the Iraq government. If all this happens, and Iraq's security personnel get good enough, our troops over there can come back home. I really hope things go well there so they can come home real soon. That would warm my heart more than anything else.

A few articles had some interesting things to say. One of them mentioned a statement from an insurgency group that claimed responsibility for the lack of violence:

In an Internet statement Friday, the Islamic Army in Iraq, a major insurgent group, said it was responsible for the absence of widespread election violence because it wanted to avoid harming Sunni Arab voters.

"We knew Sunnis would participate in this game (because) most were forced to through the oppression, torture and destruction and suffering they receive from the slaves of the Cross (the Americans) and the Shiites," said the statement, which could not be immediately verified.

The statement added that the jihadist group did not believe in democracy, only God.

[Article Link] At least they have better rhetoric than al-Qaeda.

Another article had a headline that I've never seen the likes of before: "Millions of Iraqis Vote in Relative Peace." Now if the news would have a headline like "Hundreds of Millions of Americans Live Out Their Lives Without Getting Murdered" we'd see "fair and balanced" news. This article talked about how the lack of violence in Iraq and the number of voters turning out seem show that Iraq is doing well. Much to the surprise of many doomsayers, I think. [Article Link]

Imagine: democracy taking a better foothold in Iraq than the U.S.! 70% voter turnout! It's a very rough estimate, but it's a great deal better turnout than we ever have. Maybe this will be an inspiration to Americans to want to go out and vote themselves.