Iraqi Elections

A major stationed in the Sunni Triangle writes:

The day was not totally violence free, as currently the death toll across the country is 31. Considering all that was forecasted and what a normal day is like, that is not bad. Also what the media will not tell you is that many of the terrorists that did conduct acts of violence, won’t do it anymore. It appears from all the reports across the region that they were left to use the third string team of terrorist. We have either killed or captured 85% of the terrorists who committed acts today. US forces have suffered no fatalities thus far and only minor injuries across the division. (Hat tip: LGF)

That is incredible.

And, from the WaPo, a very positive article that begins:

Millions of Iraqis turned out Sunday to cast ballots for a parliament in the country's first free election in a half-century, the ranks of voters surging as attacks by insurgents proved less ferocious than feared and enthusiasm spilled over into largely Sunni Arab regions where hardly a campaign poster had appeared.

Later in the article this item favorable to the Bush administration was written:

Carlos Valenzuela, the United Nations' chief election adviser in Iraq, told CNN that he believed that overall turnout was considerably "better than expected." If that estimate holds true, the election would stand as perhaps the freest, most competitive election in an authoritarian Arab world and a stunning, if rare victory for the Bush administration in Iraq.

Then, we have this from John Kerry on Meet the Press:

...it is significant that there is a vote in Iraq. But [here comes the "but"] no one in the United States or in the world-- and I'm confident of what the world response will be. No one in the United States should try to overhype this election. [Of course not, no overhyping. It's the first free election in Iraq in decades.] This election is a sort of demarcation point [He sounds so...so...intellectual], and what really counts now is the effort to have a legitimate political reconciliation [There HAS been a "legitimate political reconciliation." It's called an election.], and it's going to take a massive diplomatic effort and a much more significant outreach to the international community than this administration has been willing to engage in. Absent that, we will not be successful in Iraq.

The man is such a sore loser. He lacks even the modicum of decency to acknowledge success and to give credit where credit is due.

He was asked the following by Mr. Russert: "Do you believe this election will be seen by the world community as legitimate?" Sheesh! The man does not even believe OUR election was legitimate!

His response to the question suggests he's still on the campaign trail, touting one of his famous multi-step, I-have-a-plan plans:

You may recall that back in--well, there's no reason you would [indeed, there IS noreason we would remember anything that you said, Senator, saving your global test baloney]-but back in Fulton, Missouri, [Do you suppose he believes he is Churchill's equal?] during the campaign, I laid out four steps, [here we go] and I said at the time, "This may be the president's last chance to get it right."

The four steps were, number one, massive rapid training. [That is and has been taking place.] Number two, you've got to do reconstruction, and you've got to get the services to the Iraqis. [Again, this is taking place.] Number three, you've got to bring the international community in the effort. [I suppose that means France, Germany, and Russia. No thank you.] Number four, you've got to have the elections.

Well, today we did number four, we had the elections. [Well, he got that right.] But the other three are almost--I mean, they're lagging so significantly that the task has been made that much harder. And I will say unequivocally today that what the administration does in these next few days will decide the outcome of Iraq, and this is--not maybe--this is the last chance for the president to get it right.

Kerry obviously needs to go somewhere to do number two, for he is so full of it.

Sorry, Greg, if that was too crass.