Then thank God that DU isn't in charge of things. They'd rather subjugate the Iraqi people to the terror reign of Saddam and his spawn than see any more purple fingers, eh?
(Hey, DUmmies, isn't it about time to take your meds?)
Posted on 12/13/2005 12:38:57 PM PST by Jean S
LONDON - Iraqi expatriates lined up to vote in their homeland's national elections Tuesday, leaving voting stations with ink-stained fingers and expressing hope for the violence-torn country many fled during Saddam Hussein's brutal regime. Voting abroad began first in Australia, where up to 20,000 registered Iraqi voters live. They are part of a group of 1.5 million voters living outside Iraq casting ballots at polling centers in 15 countries, including the United States and Canada. "The priority for all Iraqis is to have peace, security and normalcy restored," said Kadhem Ali, 46, a Sunni Muslim in Zarqa, Jordan, who said he boycotted Iraq's first free elections in January because he was frustrated over U.S. domination of his country. "Now, I don't care; American occupation or no occupation, the important thing is Iraq's stability," added the former Iraqi civil servant, standing outside a polling station in the Jordanian hometown of Iraq's most feared terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The expatriates will help elect the 275-member National Assembly, which will legislate in the coming four years and choose the first fully constitutional government in Iraq since Saddam's rule collapsed after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Election Day in Iraq is Thursday. On Monday police, soldiers, hospital patients and prisoners cast ballots in early voting. Voters face a ballot listing more than 200 political parties that represent some 7,000 candidates. Hamed Al-Nasseri, 56, also of Zarqa, said he was voting to rid his nation of militants. "What they say is bogus. I'm voting to dare these militants, to have a strong parliament and government that would restrain these outlaws," he said. Initially, the turnout at the 13 polling stations in Jordan was low and many Iraqis in the Jordanian capital expressed indifference, but voting picked up later Tuesday. Umm Jassim, a Shiite cigarette vendor from Baghdad, said she was promised money in return for voting for a parliamentary candidate she declined to identify. "But I'm not going to move an inch from this spot because I don't care who wins or loses the elections." Thousands of voters flocked to polling stations in Syria after heavy campaigning through newspapers and radio stations in the past 10 days. "I want to vote because I see the process as free and honest," said Talal Shawkat, 55, a Baghdad native who has lived in Damascus for the past 18 months. In the United States, organizers said they expected tens of thousands of Iraqis to vote at polling sites around the country. Some were planning to travel long distances. Truck driver Akeel AlMosawi was so excited about voting that he arrived 30 minutes early at the polling site at a banquet hall in Dearborn, Mich. "We have to pick good people who we trust to take care of Iraq and not kill us," he said. Only about 10 percent of the estimated 240,000 eligible Iraqi voters in the United States cast ballots in January for a constitutional assembly, Iraq's first free election in decades. Campaign posters dotted polling stations across Europe, most promoting Ayad Allawi, a former prime minister, and deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, both Shiites. "I hope this leads to democracy in Iraq and freedom for its people," said Mawaheb Mohammed, a 32-year-old college student and a Shiite Muslim from southern Iraq who cast her ballot in London. She said she fled nine years ago when the rest of her family was arrested. In Denmark, Soran Abul-Aziz spent the night outside a polling station in a sleeping bag. He said he wanted to be the first one to cast his ballot. "I am very happy. I hope Iraq soon will become a democratic country like Denmark," he said, sporting a red Santa hat. Iraqis who lined up to vote in Berlin were cautiously optimistic. Dozens waiting outside a makeshift security checkpoint at a loading dock were part of a group that chartered a bus to make the 9 1/2 hour journey from Poland on Monday.
Bernadet Shukri, 38, who left Baghdad for Warsaw before the American- led invasion three years ago, emerged from the voting station smiling and draped in an Iraqi flag. "When you had Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the people didn't have anything," she said. "Before, life was very difficult in Iraq. But now it is beginning to work again." The countries hosting the vote were chosen because they had the largest concentrations of Iraqis: Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Austria, Iran, Jordan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Syria, Turkey and United Arab Emirates. ___ Iraq voting: http://www.iraqvote.org
I was watching Fox earlier. There was an Iraqi woman voting here in this country and holding her inked finger in the air she thanked President Bush and said anyone who didn't could go to hell.
DUr's are already bellyaching that they don't want to see more purple fingers on the news.
Ah, the compassionate souls of the DUmp.
Then thank God that DU isn't in charge of things. They'd rather subjugate the Iraqi people to the terror reign of Saddam and his spawn than see any more purple fingers, eh?
(Hey, DUmmies, isn't it about time to take your meds?)
Quagmire?
"Quagmire?"
NAY, more like...WE'RE DOOMEDDDDDD! Bawhahahha... MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FREEPER BUDDIES!! :0)
Wonderful news. Hope that Fox shows it again, again and again.
bttt
Fox just showed that again ( Brit Hume) It was great!!!.
I saw that Iraqi woman on FoxNews. She was great!
Raheel Mariam, of Sterling Heights, right, raises her ink-stained finger while voting as her husband Gorgees Marcos, left, looks on at the Iraqi national elections voting center in Farmington Hills, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005. Iraqi expatriates across the globe will help elect Iraq's 275-member National Assembly, which will legislate in the coming four years and choose the first fully constitutional government in that country since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule in 2003. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Thank you for the ping, Libloather!
Canteen Ping!!
Look what our Troops helped to bring about?? WooHoo!
I missed that...have to find a clip of it save! God bless our Troops who have made this all possible!
If you get the replay of Brit Hume's Special Report, he shows it as well.
Bump
I saw that. It was spectacular!
My kinda girl !!!!!!!
PAINT IT PURPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO IRAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bump!
While she was saying what she was saying, it hit me - I don't care who she is, don't care where she is, don't care who she's voting for. That woman GOT it. She completely understands. That makes it all worthwhile.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.