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Iraqi vote turnout "heavy"

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  • Iraqi vote turnout "heavy"





    GOOD FOR THEM!! Who says people in the middle east don't "get" democracy?

    BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -

    Iraqis voted in a historic parliamentary election Thursday, with strong turnout reported in Sunni Arab areas and even a shortage of ballots in some precincts. Several explosions rocked Baghdad throughout the day, but the level of violence was low.

    The heavy participation by the Sunnis, who had shunned balloting last January, bolstered U.S. hopes of calming the insurgency enough to begin withdrawing its troops next year.

    Because of the large turnout, the Iraqi election commission extended voting for one hour, until 6 p.m. (10 a.m. EST) as long lines were reported in some precincts, said commission official Munthur Abdelamir. The commission said results will be announced within two weeks.

    Policemen guarding a polling place in eastern Baghdad's Zayouna neighborhood fired shots in the air to celebrate the end of voting there.

    When the polls opened, a mortar shell exploded near the heavily fortified Green Zone, slightly injured two civilians and a U.S. Marine, the U.S. military said. A civilian was killed when a mortar shell hit near a polling station in the northern city of Tal Afar, and a grenade killed a school guard near a voting site in Mosul.

    A bomb also exploded in Ramadi, a mortar round struck about 200 yards from a polling place in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, and a bomb was defused at a voting site in Fallujah, despite promises by major insurgent groups not to attack such places.

    But violence was light overall and did not appear to discourage Iraqis, some of whom turned out wrapped in their country's flag on a bright, sunny day, and afterward displayed a purple ink-stained index finger - a mark to guard against multiple voting. One jubilant Shiite voter in Baghdad proudly displayed all 10 of his fingers with the purple ink.


    "The number of people participating is very, very high and we have had very few irregularities," U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told The Associated Press. "It is a good day so far, good for us, good for Iraq."

    The Bush administration hopes the new parliament will include more Sunnis to help establish a government that can lure other Sunnis away from the insurgency. Such a development might make it possible for the United States and its partners to start to draw down their troops in 2006.

    "The Iraqi people are showing the world that all people - of all backgrounds - want to be able to choose their own leaders and live in freedom," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
    Some Sunni insurgent groups even agreed not to do any attacks so their people could vote

    Lessee: number of IED attacks way down, the (formerly deadly) road from the airport to Baghdad hasn't had an attack since July, the Iraqi Army is 2/3 the size required for them to take control of land operations and now the Sunni's are voting en masse.

    Hmmm......

    Dr. Mordrid
    Last edited by Dr Mordrid; 15 December 2005, 10:19.
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps
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