| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Bill Roggio writes on election day in Iraq |
| 2005-12-17 |
| In the Sunni-dominated province of Anbar, the cities of Barwana, Haqlaniya, and Haditha are collectively known as the Triad. Over the summer, before the joint U.S. military and Iraqi forces established a security presence in the Triad, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's commander in Iraq, was said to have run up the black flag and declared the region an "Islamic Republic." Beheadings, hangings, and execution-style killings were routinely carried out against those who were believed to have cooperated with U.S. forces or the Iraqi government. On Election Day last week, the atmosphere in the Triad was quite different. In the city of Barwana, with a population of approximately 20,000, voters showed up in droves. The process was more or less orderly, and no one was harassed for participating. I observed all this as an embed with Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, the unit assigned to ensure the security of the city in conjunction with the Iraqi Army. The polling site in Barwana was on the Euphrates River, between hills and a teeming palm grove, a welcome site in the land of deserts. The voting center was easy to secure as well as accessible to the residents. But there seemed to be a hidden meaning behind its placement. The voting center sat directly beneath the recently destroyed Barwana bridge, where Zarqawi terrorists had routinely executed residents. And the building itself used to be the headquarters of the local Baath party. If there was a message here, it was this: The old order is dead, and a new government has replaced the repressive regimes that once dominated the Triad and Iraq. Turnout was heavy. During the referendum on the Constitution in October, about 2,300 total votes were cast in the city. Today, the polls opened at 7 a.m., and Iraqis immediately lined up to vote. By 8:30 a.m., the lines snaked up the street. At the end of the day, it was estimated that over 5,000 ballots had been cast. The overwhelming majority of voters were men. Only 47 women came to the polls. They brought their small children and babies, and were covered from head to toe in the traditional black dress of the region, with only their faces exposed, bearing exotic tattoos. The children were colorfully dressed and smiling, curiously looking at the Iraqi soldiers and U.S. Marines. The women were searched by female Marines brought in specially for the election. Several of the Iraqi women struck up friendly conversations with the Marines, and many photographs were taken with the women of both countries and the children of Iraq (see photograph on page 7). The male residents of Barwana were subjected to several security searches, which were the exclusive responsibility of the Iraqi soldiers. The Iraqi unit was made up of a newly formed battalion, and the recruits were pretty green. Curious about the interaction of the soldiers and citizens, and potential conflicts between the Sunnis and Shiites or Kurds, I asked the Iraqi soldiers where they were from. The vast majority hailed from Shiite regions. The Iraqi soldiers patted down voters and scanned them with hand-held metal detectors. I observed some good-natured ribbing between the voters and soldiers, with what appeared to be jokes about checking under the men's headdresses and the need to search a little more closely the bellies of some overweight voters. No Sunni-Shiite hatred surfaced in my presence. By mid-morning, there was a rush of voters, which caused logistical problems inside the polling center. As a significant portion could not read or write, they required assistance with their ballots. The impression among some impatient voters and some of the military observers was that poll workers were not moving quickly enough. Heated disagreements broke out between the poll workers, city councilmen, and some voters. There was pushing, shoving, and shouting, and a press of bodies towards the entrance into the voting center. An Iraqi soldier fired several rounds in the air in an attempt to deffuse the situation. It worked, but the gunfire came at a cost. A few voters angrily left the courtyard, and one of the council leaders attempted to barricade those remaining. Some voters in line outside the building fled for fear of violence, but the majority of those inside and outside the building remained, awaiting their turn. Captain Shannon Neller, commander of Lima Company, ordered water, which belonged to the Marines and Iraqi troops, to be distributed to the Iraqis waiting to vote. As there were many older men and young children in line, and the day had grown warm under the late morning sun, the gesture was greatly appreciated. As Marines and Iraqi soldiers stepped through the razor wire and handed out bottles to the smiling and grateful crowd, good will was reestablished. After lunch, the lines grew short as fewer voters headed to the center and, because of improvements inside the polling center, ballots were being cast more efficiently. At 5 p.m., the polls closed and the U.S. Marines and Iraqi troops began to break down the rings of security. There were no security incidents in Barwana, and very few in Iraq. The Marines guarding the polling station felt a sense of accomplishment, and recognized the importance of the day's events. They were proud of their months of hard work and sacrifice during combat operations and subsequent rebuilding efforts, but they understood the future of Iraq lay with its people. There was a sense that they had witnessed history, a sense I shared. Overall turnout was estimated at 67 percent, well above the 58 percent for the January elections. Voting in three large Sunni cities was high as well: Turnout was estimated at 70 percent in Falluja, 80 percent in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, and 80 percent in war-torn Ramadi. Barwana, once part of Zarqawi's self-declared "Islamic Republic of Iraq," was thus the scene of al Qaeda's greatest nightmare: Muslims exercising a constitutional right to choose their own destiny. The other Sunni towns and cities along the Euphrates River and in the Sunni Triangle have chosen as well. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #20 I'm angry at the donkeys from both parties that have done so much to try to wreck this nation, and proud that despite all their efforts, we've done wonderful things in Iraq. I hope the half-million men and women who have rotated through Iraq and Afghanistan DO come back angry. I hope they make that anger known, and convey the reasons behind it to their family and friends. We failed to take the necessary steps to end treason when it reared its ugly head during the Vietnam War (Fonda, Kerry, et. al.). It's had time to enter "mainstream" behavior, and will take equally as long to root out. It will take killing those who refuse to give up - there will be no choice. There WILL be a second revolution, with much the same goals as the first: to replace a dictatorial, power-driven government by one that is in the hands of the people, and amenable to their will. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-12-17 21:43 |
| #19 How about life in front of a firing squad? (Who said that?) There's always death by Womba.... |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-12-17 17:41 |
| #18 "The pres also made a clear point that whoever leaked this crap is going to be in trouble. I hope that is the case." You would think so, but I fear the mild scolding Bush delivered in today's speech will be the beginning and end of it. After all the asinine, hypocritical bullshit we've been subjected to by the Dhimmidonks about Valerie Plame, some of them need to do hard time for this. My own preference would be that they face a firing squad; but some might consider that too harsh. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2005-12-17 14:58 |
| #17 I was depressed until I read the text of the president's speech today. His focus is on protecting us. The people understand this and are not living in fear of the gov't. The NYT can rot in hell. The pres also made a clear point that whoever leaked this crap is going to be in trouble. I hope that is the case. Classified has to mean something in this country again. Drag the assholes from the NYT into court and throw their asses in jail if they don't tell who told them about this. The good news of this week will not be hidden. And there is the silver lining of Friday's NYT treachery...that this is another stunning example of how the donks are not prepared to deal with the security of this country. They will wind up on the sidelines holding large puppets. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2005-12-17 14:51 |
| #16 I'll take my cue from the AOS and try to remain focused on the positive! Research indicates that the muscles you use to smile actually send a message to your brain to cheer up a bit, so I'll give 'er a shot: =) |
| Posted by: docob 2005-12-17 12:17 |
| #15 I'm not heartsick at all. It was a GREAT day for the people of Iraq. That sticks. That has consequences both there and at home. People aren't stoopid; they see what works. It's going to be easier for GWB to make his case on Iraq because of this. The MSM is going to be less able to paint doom, gloom and Fairbanks as the Iraqis show they can take over and get things done. As to the NYT, .com has the best defense for GWB but doesn't realize it: all Bush has to do is say, "if some terrorist phones someone in the US, we need to know about it. We were accused of missing 9/11, but what would be inexcusable would be missing ANOTHER 9/11. I authorized an exception to the law on surveillance precisely to prevent another major terrorist attack on the United States." Goal. Touchdown. Three-point swish. Even if the NYT and Kos try to spin that, Americans will get it. Bush is trying to make us safer, and the Dhimmis are wailing about a loss of freedom that no one seems to notice. Nope, it's been a good couple of weeks. GWB's speeches have been making a difference, and the Iraqis have made a bigger difference. The NYT may have had this story in the can for quite some time waiting for the book deal and the right moment, but it isn't going to matter. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2005-12-17 11:28 |
| #14 I woke up today glad that we have done what we did there. The greater lesson to me was that we could have gone on for another 10 years with the low level crap in Iraq like the last 10 or do something about it. Like we did. We should have done this in Korea 40 years ago. This is a great day for the world, so be proud .com, no matter what the pathetic Kerry's do, they cant take the bug of democracy from the middle east. Once democracy is tasted they will never go back. Our nation has a strong leader, one the enemy fears. He stands on solid ground and no matter what the MSMs and dems do the nation can see his firm leadership and will follow him. He has not made a single decision based on polls. This is killing the MSMs who were literally running our nation by slanted polling and democrats changing their minds on issues because of it. I really believe the Clintons gave the nation to the MSMs by basing their decisions on the daily news and polls, a very quiet but powerful coupe. The MSMs are in a historic fight for the control of our nation and Bush has taken it back. Stay vigilant. |
| Posted by: 49 pan 2005-12-17 11:21 |
| #13 I too am heartsick - and deeply deeply angry. So angry it's a subsonic rumble in my bones. I don't know when or where it will explode, but part of me wants it to do so now, violently. |
| Posted by: too true 2005-12-17 10:54 |
| #12 Sorry, but I remain sick at heart. I went to bed Thursday night with my spirits buoyed by the news just breaking about how stunningly and unbelievably well the Iraq elections went, and the first glimmers that the MSM was finally going to be forced to report truly good news for the country. Even the Beeb and (at first) the NYT were featuring grudgingly upbeat assessments, and I could feel a seismic shift starting. Then the stiletto snuck between the ribs. This stupendoulsy positive development for Iraq and the US was NOT EVEN GIVEN A FULL 24 HOURS to sink into the national consciousness before the NYT trumpets the "Bush authorizes spying on Americans" story and everybody from Jim Lehrer to MTV to Republican senators are calling it the new (or should I say latest) Watergate and calling for hearings, investigations, impeachment, whatever. They had this story on file for a year, and I can't escape the conclusion that they were waiting for any major development in Bush's favor to spring it. If anybody doubts the depth of the BDS rot at the Times, go read "The Mask Slips" by Thomas Lifson in the American Thinker from Dec 15. They'll slit their own country's throat if there's a chance GWB will drown in the blood that results, and they'll do it with a self-satisfied smirk, or more likely a self-serious, Tim-Robbins-like, vaguely constipated, a-chill-wind-is-blowing-up-my-ass frown. I pray that this treason will someday soon be exposed, and those responsible meet justice. But I'm not gonna hold my breath. |
| Posted by: docob 2005-12-17 10:48 |
| #11 Great thread, folks. I woke up at 0530 on a Saturday, pissed off as hell, when I should have been sleeping in. .com expresses well the anger of us at the systematic effort by the Democrats and their tools like the NYT to destroy the President and his policies. We have seen, especially at Rantburg, the kind of enemy that this republic faces. There is an external enemy of radical Islam (well, the ROP good Muslims™ are not our greatest allies, either). We also have an internal enemy, a fifth column that is just dangerous and hell-bent for creating a socialist world-government type nanny state out of the US. The US has got into this predicament because we have lost our way and moral compass, just like when the body is weakened and then diseases of opportunity (e.g., viruses) set up shop and raise hell. Now we are trying to get out of it and it is painful and disruptive. And just like the virus or parasite, it can kill its host, which kills itself. Make no bones about it, this is a war to the death, both within and without our country. I agree somewhat with the sentiments of 2b: We are winning---the tide is turning. If we were not, the tactics of the Dems would not be as desparate and vicious. The Valerie Plame thing went nowhere, so they switched issues and attacked from another angle. The attacks will get more and more vicious. The Dems are trying to radicalize people against this administration, just like the old Marxist playbook. There will be a day of reckoning. It may come as a day to butt heads, like .com expresses. It may come as a day when the Dems are thrown out office on their asses. There may be another terrorist attack on our population, then all bets are off. But that day of reckoning is coming---the country cannot be divided like this and survive. TC6093 refers to President Lincoln. His experience is a good one to study for us. Here he was, trying to hold the Union together. He had Congress working to undermine and destroy him. He had members of his own cabinet that worked against his interest. He had generals that would not lead and some worked against him, like Little Mac. And he had a war to run, too. Plus he had tremendous bouts of depression to battle. Yet he never lost sight of the vision, and he kept going. Those were the times that try men's souls. Well, now is the same for us. I think of Dems like Joe Lieberman, a man of concience, a decent man, one of reason and evaluating isssues on the facts and their merits. This man is systematically being driven out of the party by the likes of Howard Dean, Kerry, Shumer, and co. Moderates like Lieberman have nowhere to go. These people of moderation and compromise are being systematically purged. And do not think that the Republicans have all of our interests in mind. At least most of them are not trying to destroy the President. Well, I am very cautiously optimistic. A good 51%, heh. One thing for sure, the radical (now mainstream) Dems will not go down quietly. There WILL be a day of reckoning. Will it be violent, or peaceful? Depends upon whether the people wake up sooner or later. It's going to be a hell of a race, folks. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. We have 40 years of misplaced values to undo. [/rantus burgus II] |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-12-17 10:26 |
| #10 Bill's a character. Bill was in uniform a while back. Good guy - I've had lunch with him. One of the bloggers who's wanted to go full time but needed to pay the rent & I'm thrilled he's made the Standard and broken into the bigger leagues now. Proud to have played a very small part in that. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-12-17 10:24 |
| #9 Thanks, 2b. I was as disconsolate as .com, just not as angry. Yours was the voice of reason! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-12-17 09:49 |
| #8 My teeny, tiny little "Inner Liberalhawk" keeps hoping that adults within the Democratic Party will assert themselves and put a stop to the bullshit God bless Liberalhawk and god bless my mother. Their optimism makes the world a better place. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-17 09:11 |
| #7 "As a significant portion could not read or write, they required assistance with their ballots." this surprised me, I thought these were educated people. most excellent rant .com. On CNN was the "Jib Jab video" that they played more that the info on the election. With our country allowing other countries to buy our media, it is very concerning what we will be "allowed" to see on TV in the future. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-12-17 09:10 |
| #6 I have never felt more optimistic about this war than I do today. Don't you see, it never ends. There is no moment in history when the good guy wins and the bad foe is totally vanquished. It's a battle that continues to infinity. Be that as it may, today is about as good as it gets gets for the good guys. Ayman is trying to rally his discouraged troops. The Iraqi's get their shot, despite the fact that their fashion sense is lacking. But hey, they are attempting to move centuries forward when it was less than a hundred years ago. showing an ankle in America was indecent and women didn't have a vote. Democracy isn't pretty - as you have so perfectly noted in your rant above. It's a constant battle. Politics - bleah. It sucks. But right now, a representative democracy is the best we've got in this imperfect world. It's better than Stalin and Saddam enforcing kite flying. Yeah..anyone who loves politics in Washinton DC is on invite from Hell. But look at the bright side. Hamas won. Isn't that really what the Paleo's thought they wanted? Hey Paloes, you want it? You got it! Are you happy now? How about now? Can you hear me now? Does your life still suck? Yeah, well now you can blame Hamas. If you don't like it, vote for someone else. Muslims are born no different than you and me. But in the end, it's like Freecell. You can always get lucky - but if you follow a given set of rules you have a better chance of winning. This week has been a good week for freedom. Don't let the bastards get you down. They will always be there. We've moved forward. Enjoy the moment. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-17 08:43 |
| #5 Patience, .com, though that is the last thing you want to hear. Think of Lincoln. There's a lot of folks cycling through Iraq. They know what lies are being peddled by the boomer elites in control of the media. But their day is almost at an end. And when they pass they will be replaced by those who know the truth and who will keep the dhimmis out of power for a good 20 years. During that time the Mohammedans will go one step too far, and 70+% of the population will be ready to romp and stomp too. Just live clean and wait. The opposition is stupider. By a mile. And they're on the wrong side. |
| Posted by: Throlutch Cromoting6093 2005-12-17 08:40 |
| #4 Well said. Myself, I'm not quite yet at Romp 'n Stomp-- except intermittently and in anger-- but I get a little closer to it with each new outrage from the Donks. My teeny, tiny little "Inner Liberalhawk" keeps hoping that adults within the Democratic Party will assert themselves and put a stop to the bullshit, saying, "Enough with the lies, already! This is WRONG. We're harming the country, and getting American soldiers killed, by encouraging the enemy to believe we can be driven off. This crap has got to STOP, and stop NOW, for the good of the nation." But it never happens-- instead, every day brings a new load of crap from the Donks. It can't go on like this indefinitely, I know that much. At some point the bonds of civility will snap. Buy ammo. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2005-12-17 08:35 |
| #3 I agree - as much as I can muster, anyway, 2b. It's been an expensive experiment, but I hope they make the best of it and create the expected initially illiberal democracy -- and evolve into the real deal somewhere down the road. On another level... [rantus burgus] The Dhimmidonk strategy is simply to oppose. Period. The impression of an embattled and ineffective Bush Admin is their only hope, the only relief their raging BDS affords them, their holding pattern until MaGiK HaPpEnS. On a day when we should have heard trumpets blaring the success of the Iraqi elections, we have CNN leading with the ice storm down in the SE. We have the NYT printing a story that was old hat to every Dhimmidonk on the Intel Committee - and bogus to boot - since everyone knows if Zawahiri or bin Laden or other Watch List asshat makes a call to someone in the US, well, we're gonna hafta listen in. That we have a Special Prosecutor appointed and much ballyhoo attached to investigating a faux charge such as outing Plame, yet the leakers of this NSA story, or any of the other Dhimmidonk Leak Specials which have failed to scuttle the Admin in the last year, will never be sought or face any music tells you all you need to know. We have the vote on the Patriot Act scheduled for the same day - with lotsa staged angst about its provisions, yet there's never been a single abuse of its powers. Not one. And whaddya know - they filibuster and the RINOs stampede - to cover. All of the hubbub and brouhaha were scheduled, manufactured, designed to tamp down or override the good news - the achievement of another step in the vision of our President's team and our Military's triumphs to bring it off. Bush can have no successes without taint. To be honest, our Govt is simply broken - running on, maybe, 5 or 6 cylinders. I'm pretty close to thinking we should junk the bitch and start over. I've had all I can stand of politics. Our Dhimmidonk SS, EuroTrash, PakiWakiIslamoNutz, MadMullahNutz, even SurfersDefendingBeachBunnies. I've also had it with all aspects and forms of Islam. Look at the news - just scan the headlines at Google, AP, Rooters, AFP, the lot of 'em - not just those which specialize like RB. 60% or more is about Islamoshit. Seething, killing, bombing (themselves and others), nukes, missiles, cells, walking out on talks, interfering in non-Islamic politics, silly revisionist shit, sillier superstitious shit, demanding this and that and other shit, marching on KFC or McD's or just around in circles, staging photo-ops with RPGs, getting fawning attention from the Tranzis and their MSM enablers and symps. Pfeh. Fuck Islam. Forever. It's a pathogen. It should be eradicated. Period. That's what people with some guts and a clear view of the road ahead would do. Kill it. Enuff. Romp 'n Stomp the lot of 'em. Start with our homegrown demagogues, such as LostAnus - yesterday's Troll Distraction du Jour, part 'n parcel to the Dhimmidonk design thingy I mentioned. RC's Good News Law was fully in effect, methinks. It offered nothing but Talking Points and no had purpose other than to obfuscate and troll - and it wasn't even original. I certainly hope circumstances evolve so that I get to shoot a few dozen just like it - real soon. Yeah, I know. Blah³. [/rantus burgus] |
| Posted by: .com 2005-12-17 07:50 |
| #2 Bill's a character. Got his blog fans to pay for his trip, closed the blog, went to Threats Watch where a very condensed version of this was posted and sent the rest to the Standard. Sweet! |
| Posted by: Suspi SPemble 1217 2005-12-17 07:33 |
| #1 a happy, historic day. Good luck to the Iraqi's! |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-17 06:22 |