IRAQI ELECTION<\/b><\/p>\n
Early signs are hopeful<\/a>. The results are going to be spun but its going to be interesting to see how the anti-war crowd spins a 72 % voter turn-out under threats of horrific violence into a dismal failure for democracy when the United States could not muster that kind of participation if we made election day a national holiday.<\/p>\n The election won’t solve all of Iraq’s problems but it was a first not only for Iraq but for the Arab world. The Bush administration, though they should have done scheduled elections long ago, deserves credit. The brave Iraqi voter, deserves even more.<\/p>\n UPDATE:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The initial reaction of the Arab press<\/a>.<\/p>\n UPDATE II.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In the wake of a successful Iraqi vote, Liberal senators scurry to distance themselves from Ted Kennedy’s overt defeatism <\/a>( the GOP should thank old Ted for reminding the public that as badly as the Bush administration screwed up the occupation of Iraq, the Democratic wing of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party stands ever ready to screw things up even worse).<\/p>\n UPDATE III.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Juan Cole looks for the cloud in the silver lining<\/a>. Al Jazaeerah describes a purported 50 % turn-out in Saddam Hussein’s Sunni heartland as ” Confusion “<\/a>.<\/p>\n