An astonishing day - Do we have anything to say?

Many did die as predicted due to suicide bombers. Still it is a good day for our neigbours.

Taken from BBC website.
Posted by Louay al-Tahan Iraqi businessman, Baghdad, 30 January

We were quite worried early in the morning, so we decided to wait till things were clearer. We kept close watch on the TV and called friends and relatives. We heard some explosions but not as loud as they usually sound. Finally at around 11:00 local time we decided that it was safe enough to try to vote.

The polling station is about 200m from where I live in the Mansoor district of Baghdad, so we walked there and it was amazing. The turnout was high. All our neighbours and friends were there. We were welcomed by a group of election officials, and then searched very closely. Everybody was smiling and happy, even the security people - something we are not used to here in Iraq. All the people leaving the polling station were so pleased showing off their finger marked with indelible ink. We went in, another group of officials checked our ID cards against the list of registered voters.

A ballot paper was handed to us. We waited in line for an empty voting booth. I made my selection along with my wife and then put them in the ballot boxes. It was great no-one interfered or imposed their opinion on any one. The officials were very helpful. The helped some elderly people inside, gave general instructions on how to use the ballot papers. When we left the station people were congratulating each other.

In all, I think it has been a great success... as far as I can see transparent and not biased in any way. During the whole process I didn't see any Americans in the area. Afterwards we took loads of photos with friends and family. I called friends in other parts of town to congratulate them or to encourage them to vote.

Later in the afternoon, at about 1600, it felt so safe and quite, I took my wife and two daughters for a walk. This is something we haven't done for quite a while. We walked by two busy polling stations. It was amazing people we don't know were asking us if we had voted, and congratulating us on doing so. End.

There are a lot more of Iraqi people views recorded and photos of the historic day. Those are the opinions that matters.

 

I hope it works out for Iraq, but given the history of the area, I'm not optimistic. I suspect that a new "strong man" will arise and we'll shortly all be back at square 1 - and I wouldn't mind betting that it'll be one of the Tikrit clan or even Saddam himself. Hopefully not, but the West has never understood this area and its previous attempts to enforce Western ways and concepts have not been successful. For the sake of the long-suffering Iraqi people, I hope that it will be different this time.

 

with a nod to Wayne's World.......BABIA HAJORA!