Iraqi Election~~~~~ Live thread.

Yes, Allawi appears to be a good and fair-minded leader. I'm sure there's more trouble ahead, but Iraq getting a constitution and holding the first truly democratic vote is a wonderful thing.

Gosh, I'm tearing up, and I never cry!

Captain Lyle Shackelford
Battalion Chaplain
HHD, 57th Transportation Battalion

As a transportation battalion, my unit will be delivering the voting machines and the ballots to villages and cities throughout Iraq during the upcoming elections. (January 30/31) Our convoys are prime targets for the insurgents because they do not want the equipment to arrive at
the polling stations nor do they want the local Iraqi citizens to have the chance to vote; timely delivery must occur so that the elections occur.

Encourage your friends and family members and those within our churches to pray specifically for the electoral process. Historically, the previous totalitarian regime would not allow individual citizens to vote. Democracy will not be realized in Iraq if intelligent and competent officials are not elected to those strategic leadership positions within the emerging government; freedom will not have an opportunity to ring throughout this country if the voting process fails.

Announce this prayer request to your contacts throughout your churches, neighborhoods, and places of business. Those with leadership roles within the local church post this message in as many newsletters and bulletins as possible. There is unlimited potential for God's presence in this process but if we do not pray then our enemy will prevail (See Ephesians 6:10-17).

A prayer vigil prior to the end of the month may be an innovative opportunity for those within your sphere of influence to pray. This is a political battle that needs spiritual intervention. A powerful story about God's intervention in the lives of David's mighty men is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-33. David and his warriors were victorious because of God's intervention. We want to overcome those who would stand in the way of freedom.

David's mighty men triumphed over incredible odds and stood their ground and were victorious over the enemies of Israel. (Iraqi insurgents' vs God's praying people). They don't stand a chance.

I will pray with my soldiers before they leave on their convoys and move outside our installation gates here at Tallil. My soldiers are at the nerve center of the logistic operation to deliver the voting machines and election ballots. They will be driving to and entering the arena of the enemy. This is not a game for them it is a historical
mission that is extremely dangerous. No voting machines or ballots. No elections. Your prayer support and God's intervention are needed to give democracy a chance in this war torn country. Thank you for reading this e-mail. Please give this e-mail a wide dissemination.

Thank you for your prayer support for me and my family. Stand firm in your battles.

Blessings,
Lyle
Captain Lyle Shackelford
Battalion Chaplain
HHD, 57th Transportation Battalion
Providing With Mobility "Keep Em Moving"

vernon.lyle.shackelford@us.army.mil

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
-Joshua 1:9

"Thanks for posting this. This is a historic moment. Glad to be part of it here on FRee Republic. This is awesome. Just awesome"

I second that. Thanks, Dog, for starting this thread. I'll probably be up until 4AM EST (Noon Iraq time) watching the live coverage. This is about as monumental as it gets. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

Thank you. I'm here.

Iraqi immigrants sing songs after boarding a bus in El Cajon for a 100 mile tripe north to vote in the first independent election in their homeland in nearly 50 years at the former El Toro Marine Air Station in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. The The voting end Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Iraqi immigrant, Raya Nawoom, left, of San Deigo, Calif. hugs her uncle Ronnie Nawoom after her bus ride from El Cajon to vote in the first independent election in their homeland in nearly 50 years at the former El Toro Marine Air Station in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. The The voting end Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Maryann Betty, 20, right, of San Diego, Calif., dyes her finger before casting her ballot after riding the bus from El Cajon, Calif., to vote in the first independent election in their homeland in nearly 50 years at the former El Toro Marine Air Station in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. The The voting end Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Iraqi immigrants with the Assyrian Christian Society, Nadia Khoshaba, third from left, from Phoenix, Ariz., is hugged by Mona Oshana, second left, after casting their votes in the Iraqi election at the former El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. Overseas voting continues through Sunday, which is Election Day in Iraq itself. At left is friend Jacklin Mushi, and at right is David Sargon. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Iraqi expatriate Sumaya Al-Kanani (R), who resides in Lincoln, Nebraska, looks on as her husband Zeki casts his ballot during the second day of voting in Rosemont, Illinois January 29, 2005. Iraqi expatriates braved long trips and frigid weather to cast their votes across the United States on Friday and Saturday. Those who were born in Iraq or have a father from there and are over 18 are eligible to vote for a slate of political parties of candidates who will form a transitional national assembly to write a new constitution for the country. REUTERS/Frank Polich

Iraqi expatriot Wajiha Abbas, who resides in Arlington, Texas, casts her ballot during the second day of voting in Rosemont, Illinois January 29, 2005. Iraqi expatriates braved long trips and frigid weather to cast their votes across the United States on Friday and Saturday. Those who were born in Iraq or have a father from there and are over 18 are eligible to vote for a slate of political parties of candidates who will form a transitional national assembly to write a new constitution for the country. REUTERS/Frank Polich

Iraqi immigrants Wisam Jabardi of Phoenix, Arizona, far left, with his son Mustafa Jabardi 14, center, and Hussan Al-Huusairawai, right, celebrate before voting by absentee ballot in Iraq's election at the former El Toro Marine Base in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. Overseas voting continues through Sunday, which is Election Day in Iraq itself. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Faleh Aldragi, an Iraqi immigrant studies a voting ballot during the bus ride from El Cajon to vote in the first independent Iraqi election in nearly 50 years at the former El Toro Marine Air Station in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005. The Independent Iraqi Electoral Commission is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. The The voting end Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

A police officer searches a car behind concrete barricades as Iraqis arrive to vote on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 in Nashville, Tenn. The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq is allowing Iraqi immigrants living in 14 countries to vote by absentee ballot. Overseas voting continues through Sunday, Jan. 30, in five U.S. cities. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

An Iraqi woman living in Turkey reads election documents as she holds her baby before casting her ballot at an election center in Istanbul January 28, 2005. Nearly two thirds of registered voters are expected to have cast their vote after the second day of absentee balloting in Iraq's election, organizers said on Saturday. 'I believe by the end of today it is likely that we will be close to two thirds of those who registered having participated in the vote with one day still to go,' said Peter Erben, head of the Iraq out-of-country voting program run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Fatih Saribas/Reuters

Vielen Dank!

I never realized how incredibly moving this would be.

Shame on me for looking at it as only an important political event, and not seeing the strong, deeply-felt emotions that this election would embody.

Thank you President Bush, and thank you to our military for bringing these moments to the world; even to those who refuse to acknowledge them.

So am I.

:-)

it is the super bowl
and defense wins super bowls

insurgebts will look pretty limp on monday

IMHO

Just heard the insurgents slashed the tires on 30 vans meant to carry Iraqis off to vote. Darn them.

'Insurgents' my butt. They're Kennedys, if you ask me. :o)

"Pinging my peps.

Iraqi Election~~~~~ Live thread"

Bump

Just one picture from your link:

Seventy-year-old Iraqi exile Mehsin Imgoter holds his voting ballot up and begins to weep before putting it in the voting box in the Detroit suburb of Southgate, Michigan

And thanks you to our allies!

Wishing the Iraqi people prayers and the best of luck!

Posted by Captain Ed at January 25, 2005 12:00 PM Captain's Quarters - A Preview Of The Insurgency's Plan To Disrupt Elections

A friend of CQ forwarded an e-mail from a family member serving in Iraq and working on the elections slated for Sunday. In his e-mail, he alerted his friends and family to these instructions on the Arabic forum "Lion's Den" frequented by terrorists and their sympathizers, giving instructions on how to disrupt polling on January 30. None of the following is terribly surprising, but it shows how sophisticated and detailed their plans have become.

"Mudad Iluj" instructed the Iraqi dead-enders last January 1 on specific tasks to wreak havoc:

My brothers the mujahidin in the Land of the Two Rivers.

This is how you should participate in the upcoming elections on 30 January.

A practical and clear plan to disrupt and distort [the results of] the Iraqi elections.

I know that the mujahidin brothers in Iraq know what they are doing but since they have not witnessed the elections process before, here is a plan which will lead to the failure of these elections, or at least their disruption.

1. Work with all your capabilities to prevent the continuation of participation by any members of the election committees [the people who administer the elections process]. This is done through a number of ways, including persuasion, threats, kidnapping, and other methods of [applying] pressure. Make sure that once they agree to withdraw from the election committee, their withdrawal is not announced except during critical and narrow timeframe [so that] the government cannot replace them with other [members]. In other words, just before the elections, their withdrawal should be announced by the election administration. This will make it extremely difficult to find trained people to manage the elections in such a short period of time.

2. It is known that election committee [lists] are published prior to voting – one, two or a few days before the date of the elections -- and you must attack these offices to seize all documents, voter lists, and the [voting] boxes. Destroy all election-related supplies a day or two before the voting because it will be difficult to replace these supplies just before the elections.

3. The attack on the elections office [takes place] on the day of voting, 30 January -- beginning in the morning and not ending until closing time -- to prevent participation by any citizen in these elections. The attacks also entail seizing all documents and supplies belonging to the elections centers under attack.

4. The elections offices which the mujahidin are not able to reach a day or two before the elections, or even on the day of voting, are to be attacked when the votes are sorted. If the ballots are sorted in another place, the mujahidin should try to attack when the boxes of ballots are being transported. They should also attack the locations where the votes are counted because this process takes a long time. Boxes and ballots should be seized because no election can succeed if votes are missing.

The foundation of the entire elections process is the ballot, and if the ballot is damaged, lost, or stolen, then the elections become a failure. The voter will object since the disappearance of ballots invalidates results.

Therefore, you have an opportunity which has already begun, and that is to move against the election committees, the administrators of the management of these elections. Therefore [this must happen] before the elections, during the distribution of these ballots to the centers along with all of the elections documents a few days prior to the elections. [This opportunity] ends in the evening of -- or the day after -- the elections, depending on the length of the vote sorting processes.

Once the elections supplies, including the boxes full of ballots, have been seized, you must hurry to publish this in the media to show the world that the elections which took place were a failure. In order to prevent them from lying and falsifying [this information], identify the location of each seized box and documents.

And know that by disrupting the elections process, you disrupted Bush's last endeavor in Iraq after the failure of all his previous operations.
While I cannot translate Arabic, the military people working the election have taken this seriously, at least according to my source.

This is an excerpt, read more here

"CBS call if for Kerry yet?" Of course not, Kerry is not on the ballot.

(Christine Gregoire has an early lead, however.)

Good luck with democracy, IRAQ. It's not perfect, but if it weren't worth the challenge, then the evil doers wouldn't be trying to keep you from it.

Just heard the insurgents slashed the tires on 30 vans meant to carry Iraqis off to vote. Darn them.

There are no insurgents. Just terrorists.

My #93. Beat me to it! (grin)

Bitte.