[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 22989-22990]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IRAQI ELECTIONS A PHENOMENAL EVENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Poe). Pursuant to the order of the House 
of January 4, 2005, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, when I am at home and speaking to 
groups, I oftentimes ask them, the constituents that I am talking to, 
have you heard any good news lately on the radio or heard any good news 
on television or have you read any good news

[[Page 22990]]

in the newspaper? Most often the silence is deafening.
  But we do not have to look far for good news, either here at home or 
around the world. Much of that good news is directly related to the 
actions of Americans. That certainly has been true with the outpouring 
of support and relief for our fellow citizens who have been victims of 
recent hurricanes and other natural disasters, and this past Saturday 
the world witnessed not just good news but great news. The election in 
Iraq this past weekend was a phenomenal event, a remarkable step toward 
an independent, sovereign, democratic nation. What good news this is.
  This is a momentous event, a huge step forward, and toward the 
approaching day when we will be able to bring home our service men and 
women.
  Did you hear the good news, Mr. Speaker? Listen to some of the 
voices.
  Lieutenant Colonel Steve Boylan in Baghdad said: ``Nationwide 
security was a resounding success, with all of the 13 recorded attacks 
aimed at election targets failing.''
  Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, talking about TV coverage, said: 
``I have seen pictures of citizens who are proud to be shown on camera 
having voted. There were no such pictures from these places in the last 
election. The victory for Iraq is that they are voting.''
  Listen to the voices, Mr. Speaker. Abdul Hussein Ahmed emerged from a 
polling station in the southern city of Najaf with his purple ink-
stained finger raised aloft and he said: ``Five members of my family 
were killed by Saddam and his people but now with this constitution 
everyone is equal under the law.''
  Listen to the voices, Mr. Speaker. Razifa Hussein Abdullah arrived at 
the polling station with tears in her eyes. Her husband, Hussein Salim, 
leaned on her for balance as they walked. They had returned several 
months ago from exile in Iran where they had fled during the Iran-Iraq 
war of the eighties. ``We suffered a lot,'' she said, ``and today I 
came to get revenge for all of these years I stayed away from my 
country to feel that I am an Iraqi again. It was a dream to get rid of 
Saddam and today is another dream come true,'' she said.
  There is the quote from this poster, Mr. Speaker. Listen to the 
voices. ``I voted then for Saddam, of course, because I was afraid, but 
this time I came here by my own choice. I am not afraid anymore. I am a 
free man.''
  Some editorials have finally recognized the importance of this 
occurrence. The New York Post said, ``The referendum results vindicate 
U.S. policy and are a giant step toward regional peace.'' The New York 
Times, yes, the New York Times, said, ``What we know already and can't 
fail to be impressed by is that large numbers of Iraqis of all 
persuasions turned out in defiance of terrorist threats to decide their 
constitutional future. They have exercised a basic democratic right 
that would have been inconceivable just a few years ago.'' Even the New 
York Times.
  Mr. Speaker, oftentimes we are too close to the happenings of the day 
to appreciate their gravity and I think we are just a little too close 
now. This past Saturday was a red letter date in the history of the 
world, and the naysayers notwithstanding, this is a day and a time to 
celebrate and congratulate. I am proud to be an American. I am proud of 
and humbled by the selfless acts by so many of our fellow citizens in 
Iraq. In the 1800s, de Tocqueville said that America is not good 
because it is great, it is great because it is good. It is that 
goodness that continues to strive for liberty for all. What a momentous 
time we are in as we celebrate and witness that march of liberty around 
the world.
  Mr. Speaker, it is good news. Let's spread that good news.

                          ____________________