Political Quotes

“I truthfully believe we will see the power of elections speak loudly this Sunday. It is going to be with a lot of courage and a lot of determination that those who vote will travel to over 5,000 polling stations across the country. They will be casting their ballot for 275 national assembly positions that will, in turn, draft a new constitution. It is a historic event for the people of Iraq. It is, in the words of historian Fouad Ajami, ``a breakthrough in the terrible history of this tormented land.'' Doomsayers and pessimists point to the terrorist attacks on the Iraqi citizenry as proof that Iraqis are not ready for self-governance. They say: Postpone the elections. They say: Iraqis have no history of liberty. In other words, withhold freedom from the innocent and hand victory to the guilty. Blame the victim, reward the criminal. It is a cruel logic and one that, thankfully, the Iraqis have flat out rejected. Indeed, numerous candidates all over the country have entered the elections despite the insurgents' and the terrorists' threats and attempts at intimidation. Iraqi voter turnout on Sunday will be higher than in many Western democracies.”