January 30, 2005
ELECTION DAY
Today I joined the Minister in his hometown of Samarra, where I witnessed him and others take part in Iraq’s first open and democratic elections. Major General Aydin, the Election Security Coordinator for the Ministry of Interior summed up today's success much better than I ever could - "It is 5 o'clock in the afternoon on January 30th, 2005. Across Iraq polling centers are starting to close. It is a day that 26 million Iraqis will remember with joy - a day that will change the face of the Middle East, and of history. Iraq has not just accepted democracy, it has embraced it - setting aside all risks to stand up, men and women, Sunni, Shia, Kurds, and voted for their future." Now, a new and likely greater challenge begins - governing in a democratic society. 