PROMETHEAN ANTAGONIST

It seems that Democrats, assorted scoundrels, and the admirers of authoritarian rule are rather disappointed with the election results in Iraq. I was actually glad for the long suffering people of the country when I read of the huge turnout that defied the threats of Baathists and radical Muslim terrorist scum. One could have, of course, expected there would be violence on election day, but no one had any idea if such threats would be effective in deterring voters from exercising their newly acquired rights. Some of the stories and quotes I read about Iraqis casting their votes were downright moving commentaries on the human spirit.... But, no, some in the media and the weasel end of the political spectrum just weren't going to allow such encouraging optimism. When they "rain on a parade" it's with bricks of ice. Some news outlets stressed the "dangers ahead" and instead of featuring the 60% voter turnout, concentrated on small radical Sunni enclaves that apparently boycotted the election (or were effectively intimidated from voting). Some later had the nerve to ponder the Sunni's dissatisfaction -- seen as justified -- with the future results (of their not voting!). Japan's NHK News (government funded, of course) featured repeated footage of empty streets and bored election staff in the pro-Saddam Sunni areas (while the rest of Iraq was filled with spirited lines of people walking to cast their votes -- not news, I guess). John "sour grapes" Kerry described the elections as "significant" and "important" but cautioned us not to "overhype" their significance (thanks John!) He continued to ramble his stale diatribe about "reaching out" to something he calls the "International Community. If we had only kissed Chirac's hind end.... Actually, if we had "reached out" to any of Kerry's selected members of his "International" crowd, there would be no elections in Iraq or Afghanistan, Hussein would still be torturing people and funneling kickbacks to UN officials and Euro-Leftists, and Hans Blix would still be bouncing around Iraq pretending he had a real job.

While the road to a sovereign, free, and open society in Iraq is still in its infancy, it is clear that the horrors of an absolute police state have been replaced with something worthy of praise, in spite of attempts to derail it by terrorism and its sympathizers. This has all occurred as the direct result of decisions by the much-maligned G.W. Bush and the losses and sacrifices of American service personnel and their allies from Iraq and other countries around the world.

Listen to the often heard shriek from Left-land, "Some people don't want to be free," and then watch an Iraqi proudly tell you he has just voted for the first time. Ask yourself which side represents dignity and substance in the human spirit.