January 29, 2005

Iraqi Democracy

It's underway... and I hope many of them take advantage of this opportunity for self-determination. As was said over at Unscrewing the Inscrutable:

I'd like to ask a favor: Regardless of one's political inclination, irrespective of your confidence in the electoral process employed, or the decision to invade and occupy Iraq, no matter what the outcome, let us all stand united in our admiration for those courageous Iraqi's who will brave gunfire, RPGs, bombs, and reprisal, to determine their own fate? For they choose to do so in bold defiance of promised violence and certain intimidation.

Of course, I imagine that many of the people to whom UTI was speaking are screaming election fraud* and no blood for oil and Bush lied, Iraqis voted... errr, ok, maybe not the last one.

Update: FoxNews is reporting a blast at a Baghdad polling station.

Update 2: Now saying it was a suicide car bombing with one casualty. No idea how close to the polling station; no traffic should be on the street so perhaps it was engaged prior to reaching its target. More details to come, probably even sooner if you'd watch the news.

Update 3: Now reporting several explosions in Baghdad. Also saying the car bomb detonated at the checkpoint, not at the polling station.

Update 4: No car, just a suicide bomber, stopped at a checkpoint where the bomb was detonated. Another polling station leveled by an IED, no casualities. Rocket attack on another, no casualties. Looks like the insurgents are keeping their promise to try to disrupt the "lie of democracy."

Fuck them.

I hope enough Iraqis, facing dangers I can't imagine, feel the same way.

Update 5: I still can't take Geraldo seriously ever since that "Al Capone vault" thing.

Update 6: Geraldo, closing out an interview with a former General, said "I'm with you, brotha." Word, yo. Commence the rolling of eyes.

* I guess after two U.S. elections of senselessly screaming it, they're kind of in a rut. I didn't even vote for Bush the first time out, so shut up.