An election that matters

In the midst of our farce of an election, it is often easy to forget what it is all about. Today's vote in Iraq should remind us how privileged we are to live in a country where we can spend all our time bickering about looking after other people's kids.

In response to all those who think that somehow Arabs are incapable of democracy, I quote Alaa, The Mesopotamian:

Today was a tremendous moment of our history, a turning point and a real milestone. Say what you like; things are not perfect; there are countless problems; the “insurgency” is not going to disappear; the reconstruction effort is in shambles; there is corruption and thieving everywhere; errors and mistakes in everything. Yet despite all that, the political process is proceeding like a dream and the tree of freedom is taking roots, and that tree will continue to grow and grow and grow. The Iraqis are again confounding all the "pundits" and "experts". But some just cannot understand the true soul of a people. That this most profound revolution initiated by an act of liberation, by the daring praxis of the Americans, driven by some mysterious hand of the Providence, has touched the innermost womb of a nation, and that the present agonies of this nation are those of giving birth and new life. Oh no, that they cannot understand. Well then, let them witness surprise after nasty surprise that will confound their logic and demolish their arguments. But the word mongers will always find something to say, as wild dogs are always wont to bark all the more hysterically as they are irked.

Meanwhile, the CBC, who were unable to deny the huge turnout, had this to say:

The strong participation by Sunnis, the backbone of the insurgency, bolstered U.S. hopes that the election could produce a broad-based government capable of ending the daily suicide attacks and other violence that have ravaged the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

"U.S. hopes"? Well at least they're being honest. Canada didn't support removing Saddam Hussein from power, so I suppose that there is no point pretending now that they give a damn whether the people of Iraq, who have suffered for so long, should have a peaceful, stable democracy.