72% Iraqi Turnout Stuns U.S. Press

NewsMax.com ^ | 1/30/05 | Carl Limbacher

[kattracks]

Preliminary reports that turnout in Sunday's Iraq election has topped 70 percent have surprised American reporters, many of whom had predicted that terrorists would succeed in sabotaging the U.S.- backed referendum.

"I have to say, it's going a lot better than I thought it would," Rod Nordland, Newsweek's Baghdad bureau chief, said Sunday as the numbers came in. "The attacks by the insurgents, while they're numerous, haven't reached that kind of critical threshold where it really kept everybody home," he told the Fox News Channel.

With an hour left to go before the polls in Iraq close, Reuters reported that turnout had reached 72 percent nationwide. Election officials in Shiite areas say turnout there may top 90 percent.

Initial voter response was slow as the polls opened late Saturday U.S. time, but increased dramatically after threats of spectacular attacks failed to materialize. Of 5300 polling stations, only 15 reported attacks. 29 people were killed, including five police officers.

"Once it seemed like the worst was over, [voters] came out in very large numbers," Nordland said. While Sunni turnout was lower, "it was a lot better than would have been expected."

[socal_parrot]

many of whom had predicted HOPED that terrorists would succeed in sabotaging the U.S.- backed referendum.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The left is bitterly disappointed at this UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS.

I'm wondering...

If John EffinKerry had been elected on November 2nd, 2004 (shuddder)...and Inagurated last week (rrretch)...would the Iraqi elections have been held as scheduled?

[Enterprise]

"I have to say, it's going a lot better than I thought it would," Rod Nordland, Newsweek's Baghdad bureau chief, said Sunday as the numbers came in."

Nothing new here is there? The dimwits at Newsweek get things wrong in the U.S., so why should they get things right elsewhere?

[DTogo]

This is a repeat of last November's election in the US:

MSM gets a hard-on from bogus exit polling and thinks Kerry's going to win, suffers huge disappointment when Bush clinches clear victory (both popular vote AND electoral college).

MSM gets a hard-on from bogus threats and thinks terrorists will turn the election into a bloody quagmire, suffers huge disappointment when Iraqi voter turn out is larger than that in the US.

[mark502inf]

"I have to say, it's going a lot better than I thought hoped it would," Rod Nordland, Newsweek's Baghdad bureau chief, said Sunday

I fixed the misquote.

[socal_parrot]

beat me by 25 seconds.

[Dan Evans]

"Curses! Foiled again!

[randog]

...but then Friday heard Fox war reporter Steve Harrigan. I consider him very reliable. His opinion was that Sunday would be a "bloodbath". He said elections would be a complete failure and many people would die.

I saw that too; the guy looked downright depressed about the whole situation. I'd like to see his response now.

[Publius6961]

Preliminary reports that turnout in Sunday's Iraq election has topped 70 percent have surprised American reporters, many of whom had predicted were hoping that terrorists would succeed in sabotaging the U.S.- backed referendum.

There. I fixed it.

[XJarhead]

That was an easy mistake for people to make because they didn't understand how the miltiary works.

At any given time, only a very small number of troops actually are deployed on patrols. The rest are resting, eating, kicking back, etc.

But for a short period like this, every swinging Richard is going to be armed and about. I'm guessing the presence of U.S./Iraqi troops likely was at least 5 times higher than normal, and in places the insurgents did not expect. That likely threw off a whole lot of their plans.

[rdb3]

If John EffinKerry had been elected on November 2nd, 2004 (shuddder)...and Inagurated last week (rrretch)...would the Iraqi elections have been held as scheduled?

---

Not just no, but hell no!

[bad company]

Great minds and all....

[petercooper]

Big deal, Saddam had 99.97% turnout.

[Condi4Prez]

let's welcome iraq in the free world...

[Ranger]

Looks like high turn out except the Sunnis.

[alloysteel]

A most pervasive sense of satisfaction comes with the known results of the election so far. Knowing the hazards of participation in voting (and not just because it is raining), the Iraqis turned out at a level unknown in this country, to cast votes for what were essentially mystery candidates, in the face of great threat of bodily harm and in an atmosphere of forboding, triumphantly and with dignity. Sure, some people died because of some threats being carried out, but many more went even in the face of those threats.

[sanchez810]

Now supporters of the War can say that the opposition "HATES DEMOCRACY".

[BluH2o]

Meanwhile, in liberal bastions around America, NYC, Boston, Hollywood, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, as well as points north of the U.S. border, Prozac sales, that saw a jump in November, have again spiked to their post election high numbers. Pharmacy stocks of Prozac are diminishing rapidly. Sale of similar drugs are sharply up in France and Germany as well.

[Go Gordon]

the U.S. needs to adopt the ink policy if you ask me

I can just see a run at Walmart for rubber index fingers, by the case load, and after the election I can envision dumpster loads of blue tipped rubber thumbs. BTW, the choice of blue is probably appropriate - to keep the blue states honest.

[antivenom]

Here in the USA we have red states and blue states...in Iraq...purple fingers and clean fingers...