Defying suicide bombers and mortar fire that killed at least 31 people, Iraqis voted Sunday in their first free election in more than 50 years. Turnout estimated at 52 percent of registered voters, with most Sunni's boycotting the elections. Results could take a week to tally. Voters selected candidates from 111 different party and coalition slates to fill a 275-member National Assembly that will form a new government and draft a constitution.
At least 11 U.S. and 15 British soldiers died in Baghdad between Friday and Sunday, including two pilots killed Friday when their Kiowa helicopter flew into power lines, crashed and burned. Two other GIs died Saturday night in a rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in the heavily guarded Green Zone. The 15 British servicemen died when their transport plane crashed after takeoff from Bagdad airport.
Regardless of the problems, critique, and the PR objectives of the US Administration behind this Iraqi election, democracy was the real winner today. The true legacy for the US will come when it now sets a time-table for the withdrawal of its occupation forces from the region.
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