Landmark Election in Iraq

HISTORIC VOTE IN IRAQ BEGINS,
VIDEO HERE

Iraqis vote today to give a “yes” or “no” to a constitution that will define democracy in Iraq.

Comparing Quagmires:

Japan- VJ Day 8/15/1945- Constitution Ratified- 11/3/1946 1 Years 3 Months
Germany- VE Day 5/8/1945 Constitution Ratified- 5/23/1949 4 Years
Italy- VE Day 5/8/1945 Constitution Ratified- 12/11/1947 2 Years 7 Months
France- VE Day 5/8/1945 Constitution Ratified- (4th Version) 10/27/1946 (5th version) 10/4/1958 1,13 Years 5,5 Months
US- Declaration of Independence- 7/4/1776 Constitution Ratified- 9/17/1787 11 Years 2 Months
Iraq- Iraq War Began Ratification Election- 10/15/2005 2 Years 7 Months (since war began)
EU- In process

Comparing Violence:

January- 347 attacks on polling day, 44 dead, including 9 attackers
Today- Less than 13 attacks on polling stations, 3 Iraqi Soldiers died when they drove over a roadside bomb, no other deaths reported

With hope for a bright future, Iraqis vote today.

An Iraqi child waits for her parents to vote in the referendum on Iraq’s new constitution in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday Oct. 15 2005. Iraqis vote Saturday to give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a constitution that will define democracy in Iraq. (AP)

The terrorists also came out today hoping to win the hearts of the Iraqis by threats of violence. Four of the 1,200 Baghdad polling stations saw explosions with reports of injury but no death:

A roadside bomb killed three Iraqi soldiers in northeast Iraq on Saturday, and six people were wounded in attacks by insurgents on four of Baghdad’s 1,200 polling stations during the country’s constitutional referendum, police said.


Iraqis wait in long queues to vote in Iraq’s referendum on the new constitution in Mosul, Iraq, Saturday Oct. 15 2005.Iraqis vote Saturday to give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a constitution that would define democracy in Iraq, a country once ruled by Saddam Hussein. (AP)

Austin Bay published his thoughts on the Iraqi election, yesterday:

Current combat in Iraq is not simply the result of slapdash postwar planning. The United States has two strategic goals that have taken years to mesh in terms of political, economic and military operations.

Goal One: Engage al-Qaida on military and political battlefields in order to destroy its claim to “divine sanction” and to “speak on behalf of Islam.”

Goal Two: Seed development of modern, democratic states in the politically dysfunctional Arab Muslim Middle East.

Achieving both goals defeats al-Qaida. Goal Two is a multidecade project. Reaching it requires sustained, courageous effort, but Iraq’s January election and its constitutional process are signs of progress. Sensational carnage and “expert pessimism” dominated the international media’s January election coverage.


Iraqi Shiites flash victory signs, showing off their ink marked fingers, after voting in Iraq’s constitution referendum, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday Oct. 15 2005. The pictures in the background are of Iraqi Shia top cleric Al-Sistani who was vocal in his support of the Constitution. (AP)

Daniel Holt at Publius Pundit has been following this story closely since the first draft of the Constitution was made public.
The Adventures of Chester has been liveblogging the election.
Omar at Iraq the Model writes, “Just Say Yes!”
Shawn Wasson at Bare Knuckle Politics has a terrific roundup with video and pictures from around the world.
Michelle Malkin has “Iraq the Vote.”
Michael Yon is in Iraq.
Glenn Reynolds is tracking the developments.
Norm Geras looks at the two sides of Iraq.
Roger Simon compares the Iraq Quagmire to US History.
The Fourth Rail notes Al Qaida’s failings.

Update: Initial results shows high overall turnout at 61%.

Update 2: Iraq the Model has an Iraqi video of men dancing and celebrating after the vote today.

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Jim Hoft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016. In 2023, The Gateway Pundit received the Most Trusted Print Media Award at the American Liberty Awards.

You can email Jim Hoft here, and read more of Jim Hoft's articles here.

 

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