Lesson learned: Free elections means people are free to elect terrorists as their leaders.
Then what?
The lesson that hasn't yet been learned is that elections should be the LAST piece of the puzzle. Things like real freedom of speech, a free press, freedom of religion and teaching children not to aspire to "martyrdom" all have to come first, as does overhauling their society.
That's why this "election" was as meaningful as the ones in which Saddam won with 101% of the vote.