Today's historic election in Iraq celebrates freedom and democracy in the truest sense.

While I'm very happy for the Iraqi people, I think this election is good news for Americans so accustomed to hearing that our troops died in vain.

They absolutely did not.

Via Glenn Reynolds and Black Five, my attention was drawn to an Iraqi blogger named Alaa who wrote this in THE MESOPOTAMIAN back in January:

My condolences to the Great American people for the tragic recent losses of soldiers. The blood of Iraqis and Americans is being shed on the soil of Mesopotamia; a baptism with blood. A baptism of a lasting friendship and alliance, for many years to come, through thick and thin, we shall never forget the brave soldiers fallen while defending our freedom and future.

As for the results, Glenn Reynolds has a great collection of links. A turnout of up to 84% according to Pajamas Media:

More and more people are going to the polling centers and the turnout levels have exceeded 84% in some centers.

Tom Smith from an American soldier:

Though bracing for any vote-disrupting violence, U.S. troops in Iraq are witnessing firsthand the celebration phenomenon.

I spoke with some of those soldiers and Marines Wednesday evening as they returned from routine street patrols and other duties, and prepared to move into the wings — just behind Iraqi Army and police forces — for what may prove to be one of the most important parliamentary elections in modern history. All say the festive atmosphere of the elections stems from a variety of factors, including the Iraqis' pride in their new nation, newfound freedoms, and trust in their Americans allies.

"On this side of the world, saying something and coming through and doing it means a great deal," U.S. Marine Maj. Neil F. Murphy Jr., spokesman for Multi-National Force West at Camp Fallujah, tells National Review Online. "Iraqis know that we mean what we say by staying and helping them get on their feet."

Consequently, he adds, "The Iraqi people are looking at this [election day] like an actual holiday." Not in the sense that it need not be taken seriously, but in the sense of what one Iraqi army soldier said: "This is the first time in my whole life I got to choose the government of my country!"

My God! Via Gateway Pundit (who links Michelle Malkin's big roundup and Boll Roggio post), I see that the BBC is saying "This is stability, at last"! (I can't think of a more remarkable development than that admission.)

It pains me knowing that there are a lot of people in this country who will not be happy with the election news -- as if there's something wrong with seeing democracy actually working in Iraq.

What gives? Do they have something against democracy?

UPDATE (12/15/05): I'm glad to see that the election turnout made the front page of today's Philadelphia Inquirer, with a large headline, spaced as follows:

The analysis, however, might have been a little more upbeat than this:

U.S. officials have expressed repeated hope that the election will lead to greater stability and create opportunities for a gradual drawdown of U.S. troops.

Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, said he thought the elections would allow up to 70,000 troops to leave next year, which would bring the American troop total well under 100,000.

A critical challenge ahead is whether Iraq's ethnic groups would be able to overcome their sharp differences in political negotiations and avoid a slide into open civil war.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D., Del.), who was visiting Baghdad yesterday, said that while he was pleased to see the elections go off without much of a hitch, he remained concerned that Sunnis would be frustrated should they fail to achieve the fundamental revisions they are seeking in the new constitution.

"If it's something the Sunnis don't buy into, then Katie bar the door, you couldn't have enough troops here," he said at a luncheon. "The fact is we could end up with a Shiite-based theocracy after this election."

MORE: Via "It's All George Bush's Fault!!!," a picture of the celebratory mood in Iraq:

Hey, what's with that caption? I didn't think the Democrats actually ran. I thought they only advocated running.