The soul of a nation, long supressed finds utterance - A great day in Iraqi History

Readers of this column will know that I am no big fan of the President but ocassionally I do give him credit when credit is due. It is safe to say that the Dec 15 election in Iraq happened because of the American invasion (Liberation?) based on George Bush's unique (although ultimatley wrong) view of what the Middle East can really be.

While I do not believe the election makes America or the Middle East safer (in fact I think the opposite) - to see so many people who have been suppressed for so long by such a violent tyrant exercise their basic human rights is uplifting (even if they do end up voting for radical Shias).

I am reminded of Jawharlal Nehru's eloquent speech at midnight on Aug 15, 1947 when India finally became free after 350 years of British rule.... (although there is no comparison between the US led violent Iraqi liberation to the swadeshi inspired and generally peaceful Indian independence movement)

Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.