A New Day for Iraq

A new day is be dawning in Iraq. Sunday marked the beginning of a democratic Iraq, with polling stations receiving a surprising turnout. Displaced Iraqis from all over the world cast their votes in this historic election. The votes are still being counted, but the winners are clear: After years of tyranny and fear, Iraq is now free to control its own destiny.

Now, as America begins the long, arduous process of passing responsibilities back to Iraq, it is time for we Americans to ask ourselves hard questions like, ‘Was the mission a success?' ‘Will the result be a lasting one?' And ‘Was it worth the price?'

The answer to all of the above is a resounding ‘yes.'

The powerful images and stories of the last few days have shown the overwhelming desire of the Iraqi people to stand up to extremism and intimidation. Pictures of Iraqi women in burqas proudly holding aloft inkstained fingers have been all over the news.

During last night's State of the Union address, President Bush summarized it well when he said, “The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom.”

Iraqis have grown tired of war, and are simply seeking the opportunity to make a peaceful and prosperous way of life. No more ethnic cleansings from a savage tyrant. No more car bombs in public places from bloodthirsty extremists. It was this desire that caused so many Iraqis to take their own lives in their hands and brave the streets to cast their vote, and by doing so, they let Zarqawi and his followers know they are not with him.

The Iraqi response and the successful elections have shown us that the mission was a success. The desire of the Iraqi people gives promise that the system will survive. But the cost is not one that can be easily counted. As of Wednesday, 1,440 American troops had died fighting for the cause.

Was it worth such a price to change leadership in a foreign country across the globe? Consider the fact that over 50,000 Kurds were killed in 1988 in Saddam's Anfal Campaign, largely by mustard gas, and though a final tally is impossible to give as mass graves are still being unearthed, international organizations estimate the final tally of Iraqis killed by their own president during his reign to be over 300,000. If you still have a problem with American involvement, you need to renew your membership card to the human race.

To save the lives of thousands of Iraqis and to secure such peace and prosperity for future generations of Iraqis, 1,440 men have sacrificed their lives.

During President Bush's State of the Union address, a young Iraqi woman whose father had been assassinated by Saddam's security forces gave a warm embrace to the mother of a marine who died in Fallujah. As they held each other with tears in their eyes, the politicians applauded and the world looked on, and the Iraqi girl pulled the mother close to whisper in her ear. We don't know what she said, but it was probably a heartfelt thanks for the sacrifice of her son so that her children could live in a free Iraq.

Iraqis and Americans look forward together with hope and determination for a better tomorrow, a day charged with the force of human freedom.