Rush of emotions, tears...can read this all day

[NeoConIV]

Sunday, January 30, 2005

The people have won.
We would love to share what we did this morning with the whole world, we can't describe the feelings we've been through but we'll try to share as much as we can with you.
We woke up this morning one hour before the alarm clock was supposed to ring. As a matter of fact, we barely slept at all last night out of excitement and anxiety.

The first thing we saw this morning on our way to the voting center was a convoy of the Iraqi army vehicles patrolling the street, the soldiers were cheering the people marching towards their voting centers then one of the soldiers chanted "vote for Allawi" less than a hundred meters, the convoy stopped and the captain in charge yelled at the soldier who did that and said:
"You're a member of the military institution and you have absolutely no right to support any political entity or interfere with the people's choice. This is Iraq's army, not Allawi's".
This was a good sign indeed and the young officer's statement was met by applause from the people on the street.
The streets were completely empty except for the Iraqi and the coalition forces ' patrols, and of course kids seizing the chance to play soccer!


We had all kinds of feelings in our minds while we were on our way to the ballot box except one feeling that never came to us, that was fear.
We could smell pride in the atmosphere this morning; everyone we saw was holding up his blue tipped finger with broad smiles on the faces while walking out of the center.


I couldn't think of a scene more beautiful than that.
From the early hours of the morning, People filled the street to the voting center in my neighborhood; youths, elders, women and men. Women's turn out was higher by the way. And by 11 am the boxes where I live were almost full!
Anyone watching that scene cannot but have tears of happiness, hope, pride and triumph.

The sounds of explosions and gunfire were clearly heard, some were far away but some were close enough to make the windows of the center shake but no one seemed to care about them as if the people weren't hearing these sounds at all.
I saw an old woman that I thought would get startled by the loud sound of a close explosion but she didn't seem to care, instead she was busy verifying her voting station's location as she found out that her name wasn't listed in this center.

How can I describe it!? Take my eyes and look through them my friends, you have supported the day of Iraq's freedom and today, Iraqis have proven that they're not going to disappoint their country or their friends.

Is there a bigger victory than this? I believe not.

I still recall the first group of comments that came to this blog 14 months ago when many of the readers asked "The Model?"… "Model for what?"
Take a look today to meet the model of courage and human desire to achieve freedom; people walking across the fire to cast their votes.

Could any model match this one!? Could any bravery match the Iraqis'!?
Let the remaining tyrants of the world learn the lesson from this day.

The media is reporting only explosions and suicide attacks that killed and injured many Iraqis s far but this hasn't stopped the Iraqis from marching towards their voting stations with more determination. Iraqis have truly raced the sun.

I walked forward to my station, cast my vote and then headed to the box, where I wanted to stand as long as I could, then I moved to mark my finger with ink, I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all the world's tyrants.
I put the paper in the box and with it, there were tears that I couldn't hold; I was trembling with joy and I felt like I wanted to hug the box but the supervisor smiled at me and said "brother, would you please move ahead, the people are waiting for their turn".

Yes brothers, proceed and fill the box!
These are stories that will be written on the brightest pages of history.

It was hard for us to leave the center but we were happy because we were sure that we will stand here in front of the box again and again and again.
Today, there's no voice louder than that of freedom.

No more confusion about what the people want, they have said their word and they said it loud and the world has got to respct and support the people's will.

God bless your brave steps sons of Iraq and God bless the defenders of freedom.

Aasha Al-Iraq….Aasha Al-Iraq….Aasha Al-Iraq.

Mohammed and Omar.

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/

[violentkitten]

there nothing a few 1000 american kias and $100 billion a year wont fix

still waiting on saddams wmds to be uncovered in the desert

[NeoConIV]

there nothing a few 1000 american kias and $100 billion a year wont fix

still waiting on saddams wmds to be uncovered in the desert
SURELY, surely you have at least ONE nice thing to say about the massive success of the Iraqi elections in the face of a MASSIVE defeat of the terrorists?

Just one nice thing? Do you comprehend the far reaching ramifications of this?

I know it's in you. You can do it. Set it free.



Set it free.

[violentkitten]

fuck man i am putting it in context. what is there to be happy about? weve had over 1400 soldiers lost and countless more maimed because of a mistake. a fucking mistake. now were supposed to be all happy and give this administration a pass based on something that wasnt a primary objective to begin with? man wake the fuck up.

[SpursWoman]

fuck man i am putting it in context. what is there to be happy about? weve had over 1400 soldiers lost and countless more maimed because of a mistake. a fucking mistake. now were supposed to be all happy and give this administration a pass based on something that wasnt a primary objective to begin with? man wake the fuck up.




What a change of opinion 2 1/2 months can bring. Or is it? :fro

[violentkitten]

the big cat dont change missy

[Nbadan]

Anyone remember this?


U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote:
Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror

by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times (9/4/1967: p. 2)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.

According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals threatened by the Vietcong.

The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete returns reaching here.

<snip>

Pending more detailed reports, neither the State Department nor the White House would comment on the balloting or the victory of the military candidates, Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu, who was running for president, and Premier Nguyen Cao Ky, the candidate for vice president.

A successful election has long been seen as the keystone in President Johnson's policy of encouraging the growth of constitutional processes in South Vietnam. The election was the culmination of a constitutional development that began in January, 1966, to which President Johnson gave his personal commitment when he met Premier Ky and General Thieu, the chief of state, in Honolulu in February.

The purpose of the voting was to give legitimacy to the Saigon Government, which has been founded only on coups and power plays since November, 1963, when President Ngo Dinh Deim was overthrown by a military junta.

Few members of that junta are still around, most having been ousted or exiled in subsequent shifts of power.

Significance Not Diminished

The fact that the backing of the electorate has gone to the generals who have been ruling South Vietnam for the last two years does not, in the Administration's view, diminish the significance of the constitutional step that has been taken.

The hope here is that the new government will be able to maneuver with a confidence and legitimacy long lacking in South Vietnamese politics. That hope could have been dashed either by a small turnout, indicating widespread scorn or a lack of interest in constitutional development, or by the Vietcong's disruption of the balloting.

American officials had hoped for an 80 per cent turnout. That was the figure in the election in September for the Constituent Assembly. Seventy-eight per cent of the registered voters went to the polls in elections for local officials last spring.

Before the results of the presidential election started to come in, the American officials warned that the turnout might be less than 80 per cent because the polling place would be open for two or three hours less than in the election a year ago. The turnout of 83 per cent was a welcome surprise. The turnout in the 1964 United States Presidential election was 62 per cent.

Captured documents and interrogations indicated in the last week a serious concern among Vietcong leaders that a major effort would be required to render the election meaningless. This effort has not succeeded, judging from the reports from Saigon.

<end of article>

Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/31/2335/87390)

Let's keep a little perspective here, right?

[Useruser666]

Yeah sounds very similar, except for the fact there is no NORTHERN IRAQ! :lol

[JoeChalupa]

I hope and pray that the Iraqi people will succeed but I also know that Iraq is made up of different groups with different motives and the lure of power can make even the most honest person change their ways.

And what happens if they don't elect who we want?

[Hook Dem]

I hope and pray that the Iraqi people will succeed but I also know that Iraq is made up of different groups with different motives and the lure of power can make even the most honest person change their ways.

And what happens if they don't elect who we want?
Who do we want Joe?????

[Useruser666]

It's not about what we want, it's about what they want. I don't care as long as it is their honest choice.

[Samurai Jane]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nypost/20050131/cm_nypost/electionprovesourgisondiedforgoodcause

[travis2]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nypost/20050131/cm_nypost/electionprovesourgisondiedforgoodcause

Powerful story Jenn...