Just in case you're back from, I don't know, Mars or something, Iraq had themselves an election over the weekend. Even the Post was optimistic (for the Post anyway). But we've found more interesting stuff in the blogs:

• Iraq the Model: 'I walked forward to my station, cast my vote and then headed to the box, where I wanted to stand as long as I could, then I moved to mark my finger with ink, I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all the world's tyrants. I put the paper in the box and with it, there were tears that I couldn't hold; I was trembling with joy and I felt like I wanted to hug the box but the supervisor smiled at me and said "brother, would you please move ahead, the people are waiting for their turn".'
• Mahmood, from a sideline much closer than our own: "This is a positive step that people outside of the Middle East cannot comprehend, at least not its enormity."
• Paul Boutin makes an interesting point: Number of people killed in Iraq on election day: 35; Average number of Americans killed daily by drunk drivers: 47
• Ann Althouse notes the Great Gray Lady herself was forced to "unspin" a headline, more than once!
• Arthur Chrenkoff has his own round up, this time of good news. He kicks it off with a stark proof of just how biased the media can really be.

I think this is a great first step. Others disagree. All I can say is, if they manage to hold it together and don't dissolve into a civil war (say, in the next four years), certain people are going to owe me a pizza.