Look Donny, they are giving you the finger.

Quite, from the looks of this post at Democratic Underground:

All the media keeps talking about is how happy the Iraqis are, how high turnout was, and how “freedom” has spread to Iraq. I had to turn off CNN because they kept focusing on the so-called “voters” and barely mentioned the resistance movements at all. Where are the freedom fighters today? Are their voices silenced because some American puppets cast a few ballots?

I can’t believe the Iraqis are buying into this “democracy” bullshit. They have to know that the Americans don’t want them to have power, because they know that Bush is in this for the oil, and now that he finally has it he’s not going to let it go. This election is a charade. The fact is that the Iraqis have suffered during the past two years more than any people on earth at the hands of the American gestapo. Maybe they’re afraid and felt they had to vote. That’s the only way I can explain it to myself.

OR–I just thought of this–maybe they’re smiling because they’re using the Americans own game to defeat them. They’re voting in candidates who they know will widen the resistance, take the fight to the streets, and finally drive the occupying forces out of their country. Perhaps they’re smiling because–right under the American’s noses–they’re planting the seeds of a bigger and more effective resistance movement. Wouldn’t that be fitting? Use *’s own tools against them?

We can only pray that this is the case. Becuase if it’s not–and if the Iraq vote is seen as a success that spread “freedom”–the world is screwed. Bush’s inaugural speech left little doubt that he has other countries on his list to spread “freedom” to. They will be his next targets, and the world will burn because of it.

Let’s hope the resistance got voted in, or if not, they only increase the fight and take down those who betrayed their country today by voting in this fraud election.

An open call for violence against those that voted in the Iraqi election. Sounds like an investigation for the FBI if you ask me.

My liberal boss: Good morning Robert, how was your weekend?

Me: Good, very good. I was really inspired by what I saw take place.

My liberal boss: Huh? Ok… (sounding puzzled) What do you mean?

Me:The Iraqi elections…?

My liberal boss: Oh. Yeah. (silently walks back into her office)…

That is the very same attitude this office was thick with after the Presidential election. These people are actually disappointed that Iraqis were able to successfully pull of a vote amid all the threats of death and all the violence. These people are actually disappointed that we didn’t fail in this endeavor.

CAN WE CALL THEM UNPATRIOTIC NOW?

I am completely baffled as to what the Democrats are thinking when they continue to vomit negativity at the American people.

WASHINGTON (AP) — One top Democrat in Congress is calling for an exit strategy in Iraq as another vows lasting opposition to Social Security benefit cuts — elements of a pre-emptive strike against President Bush before his midweek State of the Union address.

“The president needs to spell out a real and understandable plan for the unfinished work ahead” in Iraq, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said Monday.

No, what you want him to do it set a date, and that is irresponsible. As for a “plan”, he has laid that out quite clearly. Elections, Iraqi army training, constitution, Iraqi army training, ratify constitution, Iraqi army training, elect new constitutional government. The sooner the Iraqi army is trained and ready to take over, the sooner we get our men and women home. Is Harry dense, dumb, or willfully ignorant?

“Most of all, we need an exit strategy so that we know what victory is and how we can get there; so that we know what we need to do and so that we know when the job is done.”

Victory is a free and democratic Iraq able to defend itself, blockhead.

“But there is a gap between this president’s words and his deeds,” he said. “… There is a gap between saying we are a global leader and standing on the sidelines as new international institutions and alliances take shape without us.”…

I would say championing the cause of freedom and democracy world-wide is being right down in the middle of the game. Old Europe and the Democrats in this country seems to be the only people sitting it out on the sidelines. The only thing those countries know how to do is create bureaucracy and stare stupefied at genocide in the making.

“It’s time that America stood tall again as the real superpower that we are; time that we led the world on dealing with these terrible threats and building a durable peace instead of just hanging back and letting others show the way.”

Translation: We need to go back to the way of doing things were before 9/11. I believe the American people firmly rejected that way of doing things on November 2, 2004. Maybe Harry didn’t get the message - he certainly doesn’t have a clue.

If this is the tack the Democrats are going to take after such a monumental achievement and historic moment they can look forward to many more years as a minority party.

I am in awe of the Iraqi people. I am in awe of our soliders and Coalition partners. And I am extremely proud to be an American today.

If you haven’t read Iraq the Model’s posting about their voting experience, you really must. It is a truly inspirational post. How inspirational? Fred Barnes seems to have been quite moved. So much so, he quoted Omar & Mohammed on Special Report with Brit Hume.

Click to Play

I certainly can’t argue with this.

The ball is in your court now. While we can support you for awhile, do know that there are people in our country who already want to pull out and leave you on your own. You have the beginnings of a great thing and those of us in the US that support your people want to see you succeed, but you must take up the cause yourself and not rely on us to be there forever.

Digger has hit the nail on the head. They have to show the world this is their ball game now. I fully expect to see exactly that happen.

From the party that is against everything, I give you Return of Butman (a.k.a. John Kerry’s apearance on Meet the Press this morning):

“I think our troops today deserve yet again a thanks and a word of praise from everybody. They are at extraordinary risk.  They’re doing a remarkable job, and I want to give them that credit. Secondly, it is significant that there is a vote in Iraq.  But…”

“Well, today we did number four, we had the elections.  But…”

“And I’m glad Saddam Hussein is gone, and I’ve said that a hundred times.  But…”

“I think there is a way for the United States to transfer stability.  But…“

The sequel was just as bad as the original.

“Today, the people of Iraq have spoken to the world and the world is hearing the voice of freedom, from the center of the middle east.” - President George W. Bush

Here is the Fox News video of the President’s address on the Iraqi elections.

Click to Play

This is going to be a very interesting and quite possibly very historic year.

** UPDATE **

Of course, none of this will do anything to disuade those that wish to tear down this country and continue to shit all over historic accomplishments. What a childish temper tantrum in the face of such historic achievement. With each passing day voices like this continue to prove they are they are on the wrong side of history and that they offer nothing substanative to the goals of freedom and democracy. What miserable lives these people must lead to be so uttely devoid of hope.

Well, the elections are over and given the threats of violence, the people of Iraqi have made their voices heard in their first free election in 50 years. The massive bloodbath never materialized.

With an estimated turnout over 60%, Iraqi people did not disappoint. They turned out in large numbers, waiting hours in line in the face of death threats, to cast their votes and take another step down the road to freedom.

You can feel the joy in those that participated.

How can I describe it!? Take my eyes and look through them my friends, you have supported the day of Iraq’s freedom and today, Iraqis have proven that they’re not going to disappoint their country or their friends.

Is there a bigger victory than this? I believe not.

I still recall the first group of comments that came to this blog 14 months ago when many of the readers asked “The Model?”… “Model for what?”
Take a look today to meet the model of courage and human desire to achieve freedom; people walking across the fire to cast their votes.

Could any model match this one!? Could any bravery match the Iraqis’!?
Let the remaining tyrants of the world learn the lesson from this day.

And you can feel the disappointment in those that were hoping they would be right, and that this would not be a success.

…it is significant that there is a vote in Iraq. 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. This election is a sort of demarcation point, and what really counts now is the effort to have a legitimate political reconciliation, 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.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe this election will be seen by the world community as legitimate?

SEN. KERRY: A kind of legitimacy–I mean, it’s hard to say that something is legitimate when a whole portion of the country can’t vote and doesn’t vote. I think this election was important. I was for the election taking place. You may recall that back in–well, there’s no reason you would–but back in Fulton, Missouri, during the campaign, I laid out four steps, and I said at the time, “This may be the president’s last chance to get it right.”

The contrast couldn’t be more stark. Look for Teddy to take the Sunni turnout number and use it to pronounce the election illegitimate.

This is the turning point. We have all been waiting for Iraqis to stand up and take back their country and this is the turning point in that struggle. They have voted and they have tasted true democracy and freedom. They will not settle for anything else now.

** UPDATE **

FINALLY! A story with narry a single negative word!

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Some came on crutches, others walked for miles then struggled to read the ballot, but across Iraq, millions turned out to vote Sunday, defying insurgents who threatened a bloodbath.

Suicide bombs and mortars killed at least 27 people, but voters still came out in force for the first multi-party poll in 50 years. In some places they cheered with joy at their first chance to cast a free vote, in others they shared chocolates.

Even in Falluja, the Sunni city west of Baghdad that was a militant stronghold until a U.S. assault in November, a steady stream of people turned out, confounding expectations. Lines of veiled women clutching their papers waited to vote.

“We want to be like other Iraqis, we don’t want to always be in opposition,” said Ahmed Jassim, smiling after he voted.

In Baquba, a rebellious city northeast of Baghdad, spirited crowds clapped and cheered at one voting station. In Mosul, scene of some of the worst insurgent attacks in recent months, U.S. and local officials said turnout was surprisingly high.

One of the first to vote was President Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni Muslim Arab with a large tribal following, who cast his ballot inside Baghdad’s fortress-like Green Zone.

“Thanks be to God,” he told reporters, emerging from the booth with his right index finger stained with bright blue ink to show he had voted. “I hope everyone will go out and vote.”

In the relatively secure Kurdish north, people flowed steadily to the polls. One illiterate man in Arbil, 76-year-old Said Rasool, came alone and was turned away, unable to read the ballot paper. He said he would return with someone to help.

Even in the so-called “triangle of death,” a hotbed of Sunni insurgency south of Baghdad, turnout was solid, officials said.

Make sure and read the whole thing. The fact that this has Reuter’s name attached to it is quite a surprise.