Quotes on the Iraqi Elections

Quotes about the Iraqi elections from Iraqi and world leaders, observers and voters:

This is "the first time the Iraqis will determine their destiny," Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

"The world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East," President Bush.

"What we are seeing here is the emergence of an Iraqi voice of freedom," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"They know they're voting for the future of their country. They're voting for the day when they're going to take their destiny in hand," U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"The irony is the Arab regimes, who criticize the gaps in the (Iraqi) elections and demand they be honest and transparent leading to full democracy for all Iraqis, are themselves banning such elections for their own peoples," Lebanon's Al-Anwar newspaper political analyst Rafik Khoury.

"As you can see, we broke a barrier of fear," electoral commission official Mijm Towirish.

"Iraqis are walking over body parts of a bomber to vote," Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn, who was making his seventh trip to Iraq. "Clearly more people are voting in this election than vote in our own elections."

"It is hard to say that something is legitimate when whole portions of the country can't vote and doesn't vote," Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

"This is a chance for you as Iraqis to assure your and your children's future," Gov. Hamad Hmoud Shagti, of the mostly Sunni province of Salaheddin.

"Certainly, as a starting point when one considers from where the Iraqi people are coming ... this is very good, this is a very good process," Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Canada's top election official and the chief of the International Mission for Iraqi Elections.

"This is democracy. This is the first day I feel freedom," Fathiya Mohammed, an elderly woman who voted in the small town of Askan south of Baghdad.

http://www.michnews.com/artman/publish/article_6657.shtml

REACTIONS TO TODAY’S IRAQI ELECTIONS
By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
MichNews.com
Jan 30, 2005

The following are reactions from persons commenting on Friends of Democracy’s open forum at www.friendsofdemocracy.info:

* Only a few Americans have a good understanding of what is happening in Iraq. Those who voted against Bush believe that the US is losing a guerilla war against "freedom fighters". They believe this because they want Bush and America to be an evil failure, because that would prove their wrong ideas about foreign policy are correct. The international and US news media for the most part is made of individuals that share this view, and who report the news as if this was true, so by following the news, many people develop incorrect beliefs. The greatest enemy of the Iraqi people after the terrorists is the US and international news media.

* It took 5 years for Germany to reach the point of having elections after the surrender... and they were already a democracy before Hitler took over. It took Japan 7 years! As for the "insurgents" (aka: terrorists!), the last Japanese sniper surrendered in the Philippines in 1980! You can't look at present day events in Iraq and call it a "failure" with any degree of honesty. This is the last, dying gasp of people who HOPE it will fail because they so hate Bush. The shame of it!

Yes, there are going to be bumps, and there are going to be die-hard terrorists who won't give up. And there will be news media detractors who think it can't be done at all... as well as a few senators (eg: Kennedy).

But the fact that an election is being held at all is nothing short of astounding this soon after the fall of Saddam. This is a resounding success no matter what the outcome. Germany = 5 years, Japan = 7 years. Remember that when the pessimists try to downplay the election.

The Interim Government has pulled off a miracle. God is behind the new Free Iraq! :)

I hope that Monday Kennedy will go on International TV and profusely apologize to the Iraqi people for insulting them so. But I won't hold my breath waiting for that!

* Many Americans watch the MSM and hear of the violence, but not the good that is happening in Iraq.

I think today is the beginning of a safer world, thanks to President Bush, our brave military and the brave Iraqi people who will vote today. My prayers are will all of them.

I think that many have a good idea of what's happening if they are smart enough to get their information for many places. Too many have gotten a negative view from our versions of al jazeera and Baghdad Bob, AKA, the mainstream media and Mike Moore.

Yes. Much hope as long as we continue to aid Iraq in the fight against violence. In situations such as this peace comes only by strong peacekeepers.

* I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN IRAQI OR 2 RESPOND TO TED KENNEDY AND HIS FRIENDS LIKE DAN ON C-SPAN. Whether they disagree or not. Of course any Iraqi who disagrees with Ted/Dan's assessment will immediately be branded a CIA tool. But I think having an Iraqi's own voice countering that rhetoric on a station like C-SPAN will go a long way to showing that Iraqis want the same things that Dan considers evil like freedom of expression, democracy and self-worth.

Of course, Dan hasn't done much research into the elections or he'd see that one of the major players, despite Saddam's ruthless attention IS the Communist Party. I'm sure Dan could support them. Or does the fact that they are standing for elections make them non-Communist?

It's a shame that hate for Bush is so strong that the first steps democracy in Iraq AND THE MIDDLE EAST isn't celebrated but is instead mocked. Viva le Free Iraq!!

* Just having the elections is a step toward success. Every nation trying to move away from tyranny must take small steps, which will become bigger and bigger strides as confidence grows.

* Most Americans are distressed by the violence and wonder how a democratic government can be instituted under such conditions. I remember the Philippines in the 60s. There was a great deal of violence. Hundreds of people were killed during elections. But the elections counted and the Filipino people kept pressing toward peaceful elections. While their democracy today is not as stable as it could be, it is much stronger and better than it was 30 years ago. The Iraqi people can do the same thing. Good luck and may God bless them.

* Was the Iraqi election successful? As long as one person votes, the election is a success. It's unrealistic to expect a large turn out and if the people don't get to the polls it's understandable. The important thing is to go ahead with the process, get the Constitution set up and set a date for a second election if necessary.

* People in America see that there is a great deal of violence in Iraq. Is there hope? Yes. There was more violence in terms of death and maiming in German cities during the Second World War. More than 135,000 people died in two days in the bombing of Dresden Germany in 1945. When that happened we didn't know if we would win the war or not. Look at Dresden today.

* The lesson for oppressed countries is this: rise up and kill your government or shut it down NOW.

It's better for nationals to rid themselves of a rogue regime, than for them to be "fearful" and need another nation's military to come in and do the job.

* It's moments in history like this when you really don't grasp the full idea of how important this is until a few years down the road, but even in this moment, you know that something remarkable is taking place.

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