So far, so good:
Bomb attacks and mortar fire failed to prevent Iraqis voting on Saturday in the first nationwide elections since the last U.S. troops left more than a year ago. ...
Preliminary results were not due for several days, but election authorities said 50 percent of eligible voters -- more than 6.4 million -- took part in Saturday's poll, a similar rate to the last vote for provincial councils in 2009.
The Iraqis did it without our troops to help protect vulnerable voting lines and polling places.
Real democracy needs rule of law, of course. But while voting isn't the total package of democracy in itself, you can't have real democracy without voting. So congratulations to the Iraqis for successfully holding a vote. But don't get cocky. There's still much work to do.
