RateItAll: The Opinion Network

another example showing just how big a dumb ass bush is. Now our wonderful president has seen fit to partially pardon Libby. He knows more than a jury. Rule of law and the constitution means nothing to these people!

One can only look in wonder at the guts shown by millions of Iraqis who defied terrorist threats and low turnout projections to participate in their nations first elections in decades. It shows that there is still a sense of national unity in this country; a positive first step. But where do we go from here? What really matters in the big picture is not the first election Iraq held, not that it wasn't a momentous first step, but rather the second election. Democracy entails more than simply than providing the right to vote to the common citizen, it requires political structures that develop over time. The peaceful transfer of power from one political group to the next will tell us whether this move towards democractic governance is indeed genuine or not. That means that the verdict won't be out for a couple of years at the least. Then of course, there is the issue of the minority Sunni Muslims who largely stayed away from the polls. There is a very good possibility that they will not regard the vote as legitimate. If this is the case, there is a distinct possibility that a civil war can break out, a development that obviously will not be good for the growth of democratic institutions. Time will only tell how history will judge this event.

Not a disaster, and certainly not total. It's probably not going to turn out to be quite the success story that we would like or wish it to be, but I don't think that the word disaster applies in any sense of the word. It was a free election, and voter turnout was certainly admirable- the percentage was something close to that of our own US presidential election a couple of months ago, and the US populace was not faced with death threat, harassment, intimidation, polling places being blown up, etc. You have to hand it to the Iraqis for their showing.

UPDATE: Let me clarify: The elections themselves were overwhelmingly successful and I hope that this is the first step in a move towards a stable democratic nation, I am just worried that if things go wrong it will all be for nothing. ORIGINAL COMMENT: Just because women voted doesn't mean we have avoided disaster. It is a huge step in the right direction, but as Skizero and Eschew both said, if these people do not realize the gravity of the situation and poorly set up a government, it will inevitably be week and the situation will be many times more conducive to civil war. I completely agree with EO we cannot and hopefully will not let this happen.

You wait and see. Expect a total disaster on the rise in a few days.

How can it be? Again, only time will tell, but there is no way to declare this historical event as a total disaster. These are very brave individuals who walked past posters that threatened their lives if they voted and yet they voted anyway. If you were not moved by the courage of these individuals, you are indeed a cold-hearted person.

Actually, zero's right. That would be a total disaster, one which the US cannot permit to happen. This president probably won't allow it to happen.

they weren't. the disaster will be when these idiots can't set up a proper government and the US is stuck in Iraq

Far from a total disaster approximately 60% of the eligable voters in Iraq voted- including woman- for the first time in their history.