Half Iraqis to Vote

BAGHDAD, Iraq: A senior election official estimates that half of Iraq’s 15 million eligible voters will take part in this month’s national election and says that to encourage a high turnout, those living in insurgency-racked areas will be allowed to vote in safer communities.
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One election poster features one of Saddam Hussein’s tanks in front of the heavily damaged gate of one of Shiite Islam’s holiest shrines. The written message: “So this doesn’t happen again, participate in the elections.”

Considering every other democracy's meek start I will do not subscribe to the liberals theory that this spells doom - an estimated fifty percent of Iraqis will vote on January 30th, who would have thought this possible? How can this be anything but wonderful news and a tremendous step forward for the Iraqi people!