Pan Arab channels covered this election, FNC has talking heads saying the images WILL pass on to other countries where they said "arabs don't do democracy".
You can't deny the images of unarmed, bombed, mortared, and threatened people standing in line to vote. The images alone will have a tangible effect of transformation in the region.
As for the leftists in the USA, they will have problems in dealing with a turnout greater than in the USA elections.
translation: democrat (gay) party is screwed, screwed, screwed, screwed.
The law of unintended consequences will take over after the successful election in Iraq. Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia citizens will now be asking why they can't have elections. Also the Iraqis have drunk from the "well of liberty", there is no turning back now. I sure would not want to be walking around in Iraq without a purple finger.