Free Republic

On Sunday, the world witnessed crucial milestones in the advancement of freedom and the war on terror. Despite intimidating threats, Iraqis made their way to polling centers in droves throughout their nation to choose from more than 100 different slates with 19,000 candidates competing for seats in the Transitional National Assembly, the country's 18 provincial councils, and the Kurdistan National Assembly. Overseen by the Independent Election Commission of Iraq, the first genuine, nationwide elections in generations was deemed a major success. Over 8 million determined voters turned out despite the threats and intimidation that the terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and...

Iraq’s interim President Ghazi al-Yawer said on Saturday that most Iraqis will not vote in Sunday’s elections due to deteriorating security conditions and warned that the poll will not be successful if the Sunnis don’t participate. "What we hope is that everyone will take part," President Ghazi al-Yawer said at a press conference on Saturday. "But if the majority of the Iraqi people does not take part, and we know that the majority will not take part because of the security situation and not because they are boycotting the elections," "There are only very few who will boycott, but the...

The Iraqi people started voting Sunday in their country's first election after ousting the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, as anti-occupation and anti-government rebels, bent on wrecking Sunday’s vote, stepped up their deadly bombing and mortar strikes at several polling stations across Iraq. Rebels killed two people in a string of bomb and mortar attacks across the country Sunday, three hours before the polling stations opened. Casting his vote in Iraq’s first multi-party ballot in half a century, interim President Ghazi al-Yawer called it Iraq's first step "toward joining the free world." Although Iraqi authorities adopted strict security measures, numerous...

WASHINGTON — U.S. forces will play a behind-the-scenes role during the Iraqi elections later this month and Iraqi security forces will be the visible security presence at the polls, according to the U.S. commander of military forces in north central Iraq. Army Maj. Gen. John Batiste said Thursday that he has seen great improvement in the Iraqi security forces over the last few months, and believes having them directly monitor voting — instead of U.S. troops — will give more legitimacy to the election process. “This is an election for Iraqis, by Iraqis,” he said. “It’s important this be an...