…In which the theocratic and the sectarian parties lost big time. Unity won out all over the country. Security completely provided by Iraqis at the polls, people brought their children with them, the election process went smoothly and was immediately certifiable as being free and fair. Of course, you have to hunt on the back pages of only a handful of news sources to find out anything about it.
We saw with Vietnam what happens when you lose a war unpopular with the media and the liberal establishment: stigmatization of the troops and national angst. I guess we’re seeing what happens when you win a war unpopular with them: complete news blackout. Along with the humiliating discard of certain people like General Zinni previously useful to the anti-war types, but now ‘dead weight’
I guess the Iraqis turned out to be able to understand democracy after all. Maybe they could offer some classes to Americans.
I’m glad they don’t have to endure Sadaam Hussien any more. But, how would you feel if 150k soldiers from another country was occupying your country?
And there was martial law in place?
Sometimes we can be so blind. I was too for a time. I thought we were ‘spreading freedom.’
What a joke. You don’t force freedom at the end of a barrel.
Remember April 19th.
Oh, and as I heard someone say yesterday, “we won the war” so all you who say we were losing, shut up.
If we’ve won, then why do we still have 150k soldiers in Iraq? Why are we still spending $150B per year on a war we’ve won? That’s the kind of victory we can do without!!!
On the bright side I didn’t read any reports of voters being shot while voting.
I agree there is a lack of reporting on this topic, but since when did the media ever report good news, no matter the subject?
I still object to calling this a war. We won the “War” with the mission accomplished banner. Ever since then it would more correctly be called establishing order.
“how would you feel if 150k soldiers from another country was occupying your country”
I don’t know, Benjamin; maybe you could ask the Japanese, the Germans, the Italians, the Phillipinoes, the Koreans, the Panamanians, the Bosnians, or the Kuwaitis. They could probably tell you.
As for spending on a war we’ve won, talk to the people in the list above.
We neanderthal Iraqi Freedom supporters were lambasted for ever believing the Iraqis could get it right. Looks like it was the ‘enlightened’ side of the aisle who didn’t understand the character of the Iraqi people.
DaveNate: I agree. ‘Restoring order’ was what turned out to be the hard part; fortunately, we had a president obstinate enough to finish what- rightly or wrongly- he started. Desipte what people like our current Ivy League president were advising.
I saw plenty of rather splashy coverage about the peaceful elections, though “peaceful” is a VERY relative term if you dug in deeper.
What was very poorly reported was WHY the elections were peaceful; turnout was very low, because the electorate is apathetic. Given the rampant corruption and ineffectiveness of the Iraqi “government”, the people realized all they were doing was decide which groups would have the privilege of ripping off their tax money while not providing effective governance.