http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145808,00.html
Iraq's Historic Vote Begins
Sunday, January 30, 2005
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq was on high alert Sunday as polls opened to citizens eager to cast votes in the country's first open elections in more than 50 years. Insurgents made good on threats in some areas. Tight security stopped one bomber from reaching a crowded polling station and a slew of terrorist attempts did not hit their targets.
In the first sign of anti-election violence, a homicide bomber blew up his vehicle after being stopped by Iraqi police at a security checkpoint protecting a polling station in the Mansoor District of northwest Baghdad. One Iraqi police officer was killed and two Iraqi national guardsmen and two traffic cops were wounded in the attack.
Another homicide bomber blew himself up in a line of voters outside a west Baghdad polling station, causing several casualties, and a blast at another voting centre in Sadr City killed at least four people, Reuters reported.
Mortar fire and explosions were heard in central Baghdad about an hour and a half into Sunday's historic election.
Despite the blasts, Iraqis — men and women together — were turning out in droves to vote at a polling station west of Baghdad, according to FNC's Geraldo Rivera.
Leading secular Shiite candidate Ahmad Chalabi (search) told FOX News that the majority of Iraqis are not afraid and are determined to vote. They are grateful to the "young men and women of the U.S. forces for helping us get to this day.
"The momentum of the millions of people voting will create its own security," he said.
Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer (search) was one of the first to vote at the convention center serving as election headquarters in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Al-Yawer called his vote his country's first step "toward joining the free world."
As poll workers watched, al-Yawer marked two ballots — one for the 275-member National Assembly and the other for provincial legislatures — and then dropped them into boxes. A poll worker handed him an Iraqi flag as he left.
"I'm very proud and happy this morning," al-Yawer told reporters. "I congratulate all the Iraqi people and call them to vote for Iraq."
Al-Yawer's casting of one of the first ballots was highly symbolic, since he is a Sunni Muslim and could possibly influence fellow Sunnis. The Iraqi government is deeply concerned that Sunnis will elect not to participate in the election.
His wife, Nesreen Mustafa Berwari (search), a minister of public works in the country's interim government, voted shortly thereafter. "This is a shining day on the road to the new Iraq," she said.
Across the country, voters began filing into nearly 5,200 polling stations, where workers checked their identifications before letting them cast ballots. About 300,000 Iraqi and American troops are on the streets and on standby to protect voters.
Over the past 24 hours, insurgents carried out attacks on polling stations in major cities across the nation, according to senior military officials, who said the Iraqi police and army are responding to calls at a much higher rate than expected. In one case, a man attempted to carry out an attack on a horse.
Insurgents have recently stepped up their pre-election campaign of violence. On Saturday, terrorists attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone (search), killing one civilian Defense Department employee and one naval officer.
Also Saturday, eight people were killed in a homicide bombing and a roadside explosive killed a U.S. soldier.
More than 40 U.S. troops have died in the past three days. Iraq's interim prime minister said that the "success" of the election would mean America's sacrifices were made in the service of freedom.
"They have not fallen in vain. They have fallen for a just cause ... and we are witnessing now some of the results of this very sacred cause," Ayad Allawi (search) told FOX News. "Their blood and the blood of Iraqi soldiers have not gone in vain."
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, or 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. EST. Iraqis will choose a 275-member National Assembly and provincial councils in the country's 18 provinces. Voters in the Kurdish self-ruled area of the north will select a new regional parliament. Results are not expected for a couple of weeks.
FOX News' Dana Lewis, Geraldo Rivera, Jane Roh, Shepard Smith and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Iraq's Historic Vote Begins
Sunday, January 30, 2005
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq was on high alert Sunday as polls opened to citizens eager to cast votes in the country's first open elections in more than 50 years. Insurgents made good on threats in some areas. Tight security stopped one bomber from reaching a crowded polling station and a slew of terrorist attempts did not hit their targets.
In the first sign of anti-election violence, a homicide bomber blew up his vehicle after being stopped by Iraqi police at a security checkpoint protecting a polling station in the Mansoor District of northwest Baghdad. One Iraqi police officer was killed and two Iraqi national guardsmen and two traffic cops were wounded in the attack.
Another homicide bomber blew himself up in a line of voters outside a west Baghdad polling station, causing several casualties, and a blast at another voting centre in Sadr City killed at least four people, Reuters reported.
Mortar fire and explosions were heard in central Baghdad about an hour and a half into Sunday's historic election.
Despite the blasts, Iraqis — men and women together — were turning out in droves to vote at a polling station west of Baghdad, according to FNC's Geraldo Rivera.
Leading secular Shiite candidate Ahmad Chalabi (search) told FOX News that the majority of Iraqis are not afraid and are determined to vote. They are grateful to the "young men and women of the U.S. forces for helping us get to this day.
"The momentum of the millions of people voting will create its own security," he said.
Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer (search) was one of the first to vote at the convention center serving as election headquarters in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Al-Yawer called his vote his country's first step "toward joining the free world."
As poll workers watched, al-Yawer marked two ballots — one for the 275-member National Assembly and the other for provincial legislatures — and then dropped them into boxes. A poll worker handed him an Iraqi flag as he left.
"I'm very proud and happy this morning," al-Yawer told reporters. "I congratulate all the Iraqi people and call them to vote for Iraq."
Al-Yawer's casting of one of the first ballots was highly symbolic, since he is a Sunni Muslim and could possibly influence fellow Sunnis. The Iraqi government is deeply concerned that Sunnis will elect not to participate in the election.
His wife, Nesreen Mustafa Berwari (search), a minister of public works in the country's interim government, voted shortly thereafter. "This is a shining day on the road to the new Iraq," she said.
Across the country, voters began filing into nearly 5,200 polling stations, where workers checked their identifications before letting them cast ballots. About 300,000 Iraqi and American troops are on the streets and on standby to protect voters.
Over the past 24 hours, insurgents carried out attacks on polling stations in major cities across the nation, according to senior military officials, who said the Iraqi police and army are responding to calls at a much higher rate than expected. In one case, a man attempted to carry out an attack on a horse.
Insurgents have recently stepped up their pre-election campaign of violence. On Saturday, terrorists attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone (search), killing one civilian Defense Department employee and one naval officer.
Also Saturday, eight people were killed in a homicide bombing and a roadside explosive killed a U.S. soldier.
More than 40 U.S. troops have died in the past three days. Iraq's interim prime minister said that the "success" of the election would mean America's sacrifices were made in the service of freedom.
"They have not fallen in vain. They have fallen for a just cause ... and we are witnessing now some of the results of this very sacred cause," Ayad Allawi (search) told FOX News. "Their blood and the blood of Iraqi soldiers have not gone in vain."
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time on Sunday, or 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. EST. Iraqis will choose a 275-member National Assembly and provincial councils in the country's 18 provinces. Voters in the Kurdish self-ruled area of the north will select a new regional parliament. Results are not expected for a couple of weeks.
FOX News' Dana Lewis, Geraldo Rivera, Jane Roh, Shepard Smith and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michael Moore. They are now absolutely onthe wrong side of history.... again.
