Iraqi election: Children cheered, men wept
Editor’s Note: This was written the day after the Iraqi election by Tom Guthrie and sent by e-mail his mother-in-law Wendy Spaw with the request that it be submitted to the newspaper.Yesterday was long and trying. The elections tried all of the platoons patience to say the least. We waited for the ballots to come from the city of Tikrit for 23 hours. They finally came at 0345 on 30 Jan 05, and the polling stationed opened at 0700. So we had to transport them an hour north to a small town with a population of 40,000. We made the deadline by 20 minutes. Some implied task was coordinating with Iraqi police, Iraq Army, Air Support, Translates, Voting Panelist from Tikrit, local towns people, not to mention the coordination and the security of my own platoon. After all of the chaos, we dropped off the ballots and handed the responsibility over to the Iraqi people. I took my platoon to a nearby mountain where we over-watched the city for any insurgent activity. I was impressed by the local citizens, police and Iraqi army. I swear we were blessed. All around our city, in adjacent cities was mortar fire, small arms fire, explosions, car bombs. I couldn’t believe it. We located ourselves in position which provided excellent observation.
Our city had the highest voter turn out in the Task Force Area of Operations (AO). (Mind you we have the second largest AO in Iraq.) The local townsman and police said they did not let any terrorist in the town or they would shoot them. I was very, very skeptical but it was evident during the election. Not one weapon was fired or one explosion in the town during the entire election. I couldn’t believe it!
At 5:30 p.m. my platoon left the mountainside to secure the ballots from the polling site (An elementary school). The voting panelist from Tikrit actually hugged me and some even started crying. Children cheered, and grown men wept. I was stunned and tried to keep focus, knowing this was the time for an ambush or a suicide bomber. We secured all of the ballots and personnel and escorted them back to our Forward Operating Base. We made it without incident. A relief it was for all of us. Long days and short nights had paid off. We reached a milestone. We knew the world was watching.
I would like to thank all of the soldiers and families who have made sacrifices for the democracy efforts here. I would like Terry to know his work here help to prepare the country for this day. Also, my cousin Bob for what he’s about to do here.
I’m humbled by what I have experienced yesterday. I know many people have been torn by this war. So maybe part of it is about oil. I would like to ask them what if we gave up on freedom, what if we gave up on Europe in WWII or maybe they should ride a bike and ban the gas station. I don’t see that happening. If we left now, all of the soldiers efforts who came here before us and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice would be done for nothing.
I hope the rest of this year goes without incident. But I’m skeptical of that. I’m sure we will face obstacles here and more contact with the enemy. But yesterday, my platoon was blessed with a city without incident. I would like to thank all of you for your prayers. They were answered yesterday for my platoon. I hope this gives you all some insight on what happened during the election in one small town in Iraq.
First Lt. Tom Guthrie is a scout platoon leader with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard HHC, 1st Battalion, 103 Armor Division from Connellsville.