Millions vote for 'new beginning'

Gulf Daily News ^ | 16 October 2005 | Gulf Daily News

[mdittmar]

BAGHDAD: Iraq took another big step yesterday toward becoming a fully democratic and independent nation as millions voted on a new constitution despite threat of violence.

Prime Minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari, after casting one of the first ballots in Baghdad, said: "The constitution is a sign of civilization. We consider this a day of great achievement. This constitution has come after heavy sacrifices. It is a new birth."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan congratulated the Iraqi people, saying it represents a chance for the country to move away from violence and towards unity.

"For the second time this year, the people of Iraq have braved difficult conditions and the threat of violence to exercise the vote," a statement issued by Annan's spokesman said, calling the referendum "an important opportunity for the Iraqi people to express their political views."

"This weekend is a momentous time in the history of the Middle East," US President George W Bush said as Washington eagerly awaited the results of the referendum that are expected to be known on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice welcomed the referendum as an "important milestone".

Rice, on a brief trip to London to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, also said a democratic Iraq would help bring peace to the Middle East and end the "extremist ideology of hatred" that produced suicide bombers.

"There is now a political process in which most Iraqis see their future and in which they are investing their future," Washington's top diplomat told the BBC.

Except for several hot spots west of Baghdad, Sunni Arabs came out of their postwar political isolation to vote on the draft charter. Most are thought to have voted "no" because they view the constitution as offering a recipe for the country's eventual breakup.

They voted in surprisingly high numbers, many of them hoping to defeat it in an intense competition with Shi'ites and Kurds over the shape of the nation's young democracy after decades of dictatorship.

With little violence, turnout was more than 66 per cent in the three most crucial provinces, amid a heavy clampdown by US-Iraqi forces across the country. The constitution still seemed likely to pass, as expected.

But the higher-than-forecast Sunni turnout made it possible the vote would be close - or even go the other way - and cast doubt on US hopes that the charter would succeed in luring Sunnis away from the insurgency.

Washington hopes the constitution will be approved so Iraqis can form a permanent, representative government and the 150,000 US troops can begin to withdraw.

The country's Shi'ite majority - some 60 per cent of its estimated 27 million people - and the Kurds - another 20pc - largely support the approximately 140-article charter, which provides them with autonomy in the northern and southern regions where they are concentrated.

[mdittmar]

Washington hopes the constitution will be approved so Iraqis can form a permanent, representative government and the 150,000 US troops can begin to withdraw.

We all hope.We're getting closer,step by step.

[pierrem15]

But the higher-than-forecast Sunni turnout made it possible the vote would be close - or even go the other way - and cast doubt on US hopes that the charter would succeed in luring Sunnis away from the insurgency.

?Que? The bolded part is the biggest non-sequiter I've seen in a long time. If the Sunni's defeated the current constitution, they would have confirmation that the political process can secure their interests. The Kurds would then be the biggest problem.

More 'brilliant' analysis from the MSM.

[FairOpinion]

I think another news is that this appeared in a paper in the Middle East:

[goldstategop]

The MSM desperately keeps looking for an American defeat. They don't see how they're perceived by the American people.

(Denny Crane: "I like nature. Don't talk to me about the environment".)

[Americanwolfsbrother]

LET FREEDOM RING IN IRAQ!AWB

[kublia khan]

"millions voted on a new constitution"

In other breaking news today thousands affirm a desire for the SOS in Washington DC in what was billed by race baiter Louis Farakhan as the "millions more March". film at 11

[Americanwolf]

High voter turn out, little violence.... democracy in action!!!

Iraq now gets a chance at the freedom that we all have know since birth..



GO IRAQ GO!!!!!!!!

[JLS]

Yes withdrawn into Syria or Iran would be good in my mind.

[MJY1288]

It's Bush's fault

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Methinks Coffee Anal is deeply sadden by this turn of events. I know the dems and MSM are.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Ditto, not good news for the other dictators in the region. This could spread like the flu and make some of them very ill indeed.

[MNJohnnie]

This seems appropriate. Whine all you want MSM. Lover's of Liberty won a victory today and we render all honor tonight to all those brave people, the living and the 1900+ dead, who made this day possible. IT IS a "Day of Reckoning" It is not the end but it is a battle won on the way

Artist : Martina Mcbride Song : Independence Day

Let freedom ring

Let the white dove sing

Let the whole world know that today is the day of a

reckoning

Let the weak be strong

Let the right be wrong

Roll the stone away

Let the guilty pay

It's Independence Day

[Marine_Uncle]

IMHO, some key points are:
1. Record numbers in all ethnic/religious groups in what appears to be all the provinces, with only Al Anbar which is the wild west of Iraq, had turned out to vote. There courage, carryin little ones to the polling places, old women and men, young and in between have demonstrated to the anti-Iraqi insurgency, that they cannot produce enough fear to keep the mojority of Iraqis from goin to the polls. 2. There where practically no attacks at any polling places regardless of what province we look at. This tells me there where not sufficient numbers of Ali Babba to go into beserk mode and try to cause major grieve in ANY province. Which means either they are spent at this point, And OR, the mainly Iraqi Army and Police had shut them down so effectively that they could do nothing. 3. At this point I sense I say nothing that perhaps 95% of us are not fully aware of as we see this epic event take place. Just the fact that perhaps record numbers of Sunni may turn out to have voted, would further indicate, they now favor the democratic process verse the bullet method. As time goes by they (Sunni) shall continue to become more engaged. They have been fully welcomed into the process now at hand. They are not being left out. The constituion's wording makes it quite clear that amendment can be added as time goes by within some 4 months, of a legal ratification of the document. Truly they (all Iraqis) have entered into a new dimension. No longer will any given political party that finds the means to become a dictatorship rule in Iraq, if the people and most well meaning politicians refuse to let it to ever happen again.
4. By all ethnic/religious groups demonstrating that they prefer the ballot box to bullets and bombs they are on the threshold of a new beginning. No more Dictators, only democratcially elected government by the process of voting, shall how be their legacy. The majority of Iraqis as well all konw have been brutalized and forgotten for to long. Chances are they shall now grasps the power behind some basic principals of the democratic process. And all this is their SACRED GIFT, given to them by George Walker Bush, and the courage and valant and often super honorable military of the United States of America and the willing coalition forces who have given their sons and daughters in sacrifice, for something we in the western world upon carefull reflection must consider bordering upon the holy. And that is freedom of choice at the ballot box.

[NordP]

"...UN Secretary General Kofi Annan congratulated the Iraqi people, saying it represents a chance for the country to move away from violence and towards unity."

And says we're sorry we ignored you for all those years and resolutions, prior. (/sarcasm)

HE SHOULD REALLY JUST SHUT UP AND LAY LOW. WHAT A JERK.

[NordP]

Score one more for Iraqi FREEDOM!!!

[MEG33]

Great post!

[Cobra64]

Does it rain a lot in the middle-east? /sarcasm

[Cobra64]

You may want to try the "P" once in a while.

Otherwise few people will bother to read a run-on-sentence-paragraph.

We get dizzy with 20,000 words in a single string

Thanks.

Cheers and...

Good night

[Jeff Chandler]

Just put in <P> every so often.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Great post!"
Thank you. I try.
"You may want to try the "P" once in a while."
Sorry. Will try to remember to break things down better. I often do use breaks and new paragraph mark up but obviously failed this time around.