[dude1394]

What a day.

U.S. troops describe the atmosphere in the country as festive:

"As we prepared to visit the Iraqi units and polling sites in Mosul, I noticed the ink stained fingers of all the soldiers who voted early," Hanna tells NRO. "I turned and looked over to the division sergeant major in the vehicle next to me and he was grinning from ear to ear. I held up my finger to see his, and he showed me his ink-stained finger and then a quick thumbs up. I'd never seen him so happy. Genuinely excited. He felt safe enough to go shopping last week, and now to vote on top of that? The optimism among the Iraqi soldiers and the Iraqis as we drove around Mosul is contagious."

Sergeant First Class Larry Bull, also with 5th Brigade, agrees.

"I've seen more smiles than anytime ever before," Bull says. "There seems to be an uplift of the spirits of all the individuals we pass from most everyone and all ages. I believe that the Iraqi people are seeing that the impossible might become the possible after the election. The vast majority of the populace seems to appreciate, not only the Iraqi soldiers, but us."

Sergeant Major James Keesee describes the atmosphere in Mosul as that of a "large playground."

Parents and their children are "walking the streets waving at the Americans and Iraqi-army patrols as they pass by," he says.

Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Cooney says, "the streets are filled with children playing soccer," and a general "euphoria" has apparently washed away any real concern of hostilities.

Officers like Major Rob Dixon says the Iraqis are clapping their hands in praise and gratitude as the U.S. Army vehicle patrols pass by.

What a great day for freedom and democracy! The biggest losers from today's vote are the foreign terrorists, Baathist holdouts, and the Democrat Party.