My Thoughts, Exactly

More from Michael Novak:

My wife Karen and I stayed up until four am this morning watching in excitement as the polls opened in Iraq, and the early two hours went peacefully, and resolve gathered, and the voters streamed in. It was a beautiful example of bravery. There were many tears of joy. There were marvelous expressions such as: I would be willing to die, rather than say that I had not voted. It was an incredibly moving panorama, as FOX took viewers round the country.

Some thoughts: As of January 30, 2005, the government of Iraq will now have more legitimacy from the grand consent of the governed than any other regime in the region. Iraq the model, indeed.

The Arab press of the region, it is reported, are in some awe at what they have seen, and are calling it the beginning of a new future.

Third, Mr Z and his foreign terrorists and local henchmen have been demonstrated to be a lunatic fringe of the small minority that did not vote. They can no longer claim to be an "insurgency," and certainly not to speak for the Iraqi people. They are a lunatic, murderous fringe, worthy of the contempt of free women and free men. They are a disgrace to Islam and to all humanistic values.

Fourth, democracy really is the new name for peace. It is manifestly a new word for joy, celebration, pride, and bravery. The home of the brave does become the home of the free, and it is very satisfying for the American soul to be standing at the side of the brave, in the act by which they become free.

Fifth, the tactic of three concentric rings of protection around each polling place---the Iraqi police at the core, the Iraqi National Guard in the middle ring, and the Coalition forces in the outer, third ring--turned out to be brilliant. The performance of those in the inner rings was professional, confident, courteous. They seemed to feel all the more confident for having the Coalition at their backs, ready to spring to their aid. Their own inner strength seemed to be doubled by that outer support. Their fortitude multiplied many-fold the range and capacities of the Americans. A well-conceived plan, gentlemen of the military and Iraqi leaders alike! Well done.

There is a special joy the act of freedom brings, especially when it is performed under the fear of death, in visible bravery. It seems an act of the sort the Creator made us to perform, at the top of our powers! It is a thing of beauty.