Freedom is a wonderful thing. The right to elect our government officials is one of our most basic rights; I would argue a God-given right. Only a tyrant would deny freedom to his people. Obviously, it is always breathtaking to watch liberty spread to regions of the world where it has not previously been experienced.

            A mere two years ago, Iraq was a nation subjugated under the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein, one of the most evil men in all history. This man, along with his two infamous sons, terrorized the people of Iraq in ways we cannot and would not wish to imagine. At that time, the future looked bleak for the Iraqis.

            Now, things have changed. Last week, we had the opportunity to witness one of the most moving scenes imaginable: free and fair elections in Iraq. The nation that had suffered for decades under the rule of a maniacal dictator was now getting to choose it's own rulers. Eventually, the Iraqi people will have a government that respects their basic rights, and allows them to speak their mind without fear of imprisonment or death. Even the harshest cynic's heart must have been warmed, at least a little, by what we saw.

            While many commentators and elitists whined about how elections in Iraq could not go forward, and how the Iraqis were not ready for democracy, millions of Iraqis went to their local polling office and did something very few people in their part of the world have ever had the opportunity to do. They voted for their political leadership. In doing so, they proved so many American and European critics wrong yet again.

            Those who wanted to postpone the elections look pretty foolish now. On January 12th, the "New York Times" editorialized: "The coming elections - long touted as the beginning of a new, democratic Iraq - are looking more and more like the beginning of that worst-case scenario. It's time to talk about postponing the elections." Given this, and numerous other mishaps, it is anyone's guess how this newspaper retains its reputation as the "newspaper of record."

            Making predictions beforehand is one thing. Witnessing the elections is quite another. It is difficult to believe that any American could respond to such events with any emotion other than pride, but for those blinded by partisanship, it is certainly possible. Ted Kennedy has been blasting the war effort since day one. John Kerry warned us not to "overhype this election." Oh yeah, Senator, it's only a country that had endured a quarter century of pure hell getting to choose its leaders. That's not a big deal.

            Last Wednesday, President Bush spoke of the elections in Iraq during his State of the Union address. Everyone who watched was moved when the mother of a Marine killed in Iraq embraced Safia Taleb al-Suhail, an Iraqi woman who had just voted for the first time. Well, not everyone. Some very cynical observers, among them Chris Matthews of "Hardball," suggested that the hug had been staged. That someone could be that cold and insensitive is unbelievable. We should also remember that this accusation has come from those on the political left, the group who claims to be infinitely more caring than the rest of us.

            Freedom for Iraq did not come without a price. Over the past 22 months, we have seen over a thousand American servicemen killed, many more injured, as well as countless Iraqi casualties. Anytime we discuss the successes in that nation, we should remember them. For without them, Saddam Hussein would still be murdering his people.

            Ali Fadel, the mayor of Baghdad, suggested that a statue of President Bush be erected in his city. This is a very brave request, considering his predecessor was murdered for supporting the American effort in Iraq.

            Ultimately though, it does not matter that much if the statue is built or not. It doesn't matter that much if the rest of the world appreciated what we've done for Iraq. Nor does it even matter that much if the candidates most favorable to us get elected.

            What really matters is that Iraq is well on it's way to becoming democracy's one outpost in the Arab world. Is this the beginning of a trend in the Middle East? We can only hope and pray.

John Brown (www.johnnorrisbrown.com) is a senior in political science and history at the University of Tennessee @ Knoxville. Contact him at johnnyb325@aol.com. This column originally appeared in the February 8, 2005 edition of The Daily Beacon entitled "Elections mark spread of freedom," available here.