Election Day

IN about half an hour, the polls open in Iraq for an historic experiment in pluralistic government.



Perhaps the experiment will fail; Democracy is clearl incompatible with Islamism according to its own explicit dictates, and the tribalism still present in much of Arab society is a difficult obstacle.



But attempt it we must.



We have to find out how many Arabs are desirous of embracing modernism and secularism to understand how best to solve the deep problems of the middle east that ultimately threaten our way of life (for example, every problem in some sense is ultimately solvable with a big enough hammer, but that's a solution of last resort).



It is discouraging, but not surprising, how the defeatist media is already attempting to frame the isue in such a way to pre-emptively declare a defeat for Bush's policies, by obsessing over voter turnout.



In this, they play directly into the hands of the terrorists, and are nothing but the propaganda tools of those who wish to delegitimize this potentially world-changing event, this breaking of the chains of despotism over million sof souls.



Perhaps they will re-chain themselves, but then we'll know we've done all we could.



Will the Sunnis boycott? Will turnout be too low? What absurd questions!



As Charles Krauthammer pointed out today, if 20 Iraqis vote, they'll already have a more legitimately representative government than any other Arab country in the region: how many turned out to vote for the King of Jordan? How many voted for the military dictator of Egypt?



So what if the Sunnis boycott? Minorities can't be permitted to derail an election. Look, 40% of Americans essentially "boycotted" the last Presidential election -- the most important in recent history -- and nobody's seriously doubts its legitimacy.



Well, nobody outside the lefty lunatic fringe.



During our own Civil War, well gee, violence kept half the States from participating in the re-election of Lincoln, didn't it?



Nobody thinks Lincoln is a fake president, do they?



It's ridiculous.



It's disgusting, in fact.



Everyone should be celebrating the process because no matter what, an institution is being created: political parties, open debate, and the participation of every voice.



This is all new and wonderful.



And yet, small-minded, twisted people would rather tear it all down, would rather decalre it a failure, would love to see this become a disaster, all because they just can't stand to see Bush get one iota of credit.



For one example of how no credit can ever be given to Bush, and that the opposition means simply to be contrary about everything he says, recently Bush declared Social Security wasn't fair to blacks due to their lower life expectancy. But, that doesn't fit the myth that Republicans are racists who never support the interests of blacks, so some form Clinton officials and AARP are trotted out to say no, Social Security is PERFECTLY FAIR to blacks, and there is little need to reform Social Security.



You can be certain that if Bush said Social Security was, on balance, fair to blacks, Democrats would be crying bloody murder about how unfair it was and how heartless Bush is and so Social Security should be reformed.



You can take that to the bank!