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Originally Posted by brianb
What was the result of our invasion into Iraq? Thousands of innocent civilians killed, our military members killed or maimed and for what?
For a representative gov't, democracy, and equality under the law for a nation that had not had any of these things in generations, to say nothing of ridding that nation and the world of a narcissistic psychopath who tortured and murdered his own people for fun.
For this...
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Thursday, April 10, 2003
Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — They used shoes and slippers, sledgehammers, cardboard boxes, sticks and garbage. Joyous Baghdad residents pelted, swatted and swung just about anything they could find Wednesday at the toppled statue of Saddam Hussein — the most potent symbol of the Iraqi leader's stunningly swift demise.
"Now my son can have a chance in life," said Bushra Abed, pointing to her 2-year-old son, Ibrahim, as they watched the statue come down in central Baghdad with the help of U.S. Marines — images that were broadcast throughout the Arab world and beyond.
It was a day for celebrating — when fear of the regime began to melt, and hope surged across the Iraqi capital.
Watching U.S. troops move through the city in armored convoys, people flooded the streets to cheer. Women lifted their babies for the soldiers to kiss. Young men shouted in English, "Bush No. 1, Bush No. 1." Some men, swept up by the emotion of the moment, rushed into the streets wearing only their underwear to greet the Marines.
Many in the crowd beat their chests and chanted, "There is a burning in our chests," a Shiite Muslim slogan.
"I'm 49, but I never lived a single day. Only now will I start living," Yussuf Abed Kazim, a mosque preacher, said as he whacked tile and concrete off the pedestal of the toppled statue."
Iraqis worldwide celebrate landmark vote
More than 280,000 expatriates registered in 14 countries
Friday, January 28, 2005 Posted: 8:53 PM EST (0153 GMT)
(CNN) -- "I feel as if I've just been born"; "It was the best thing I have actually ever done in my life"; "This is just like a dream."
Those were the words of Iraqi expatriates Friday as they went to polling sites around the world to take part in the first free Iraqi elections in more than a half-century.
Around the world in 14 countries, tens of thousands of expatriates -- many of them exiles who fled Saddam Hussein's dictatorship -- were jubilant as they had a say in their homeland's government for the first time.
The voting began with Shimon Haddad, who, as manager of the biggest voting center in Australia, cast his ballot about 15 minutes before the polls opened at 7 a.m. (3 p.m. ET Thursday) in Sydney.
He described himself as "very excited, very happy."
"Happy because I vote -- the first time in our life we were allowed to vote for a democratic government," he said.
"This is democracy in the making. This is freedom in the making," said Ghanim al-Shibli, Iraq's ambassador to Australia.
"The Iraqi people are experiencing and tasting freedom. This is something tremendous -- just give you goose pimples."
Iraqi exiles Falah Hassan, a shoe factory worker, and Muayed Maaksoud, an agricultural engineer, drove four hours to the capital.
"I am lost for words," Hassan said. "I am 49 years old, but I feel as if I've just been born."
Maaksoud said he felt like "a new human."
Outside a polling site in London, 19-year-old Zaineb Field said, "I must say it was the best thing I have actually ever done in my life. ... People were clapping, so emotional, you feel like you want to cry."
"I'd like to thank every American in uniform," said Nick Najjar in Southgate, Michigan.
"I'd like to thank the government of the United States entirely, Democratic or Republic[an] for what they did to Iraq to liberate Iraq from Saddam's dictatorship. Thank you very much."
"It's the greatest day in my life, the greatest feeling ever in my life," said Montador Almosawi, also in Southgate.