By Christopher Balchum -- March 8, 2010
Iraqi's headed to the polls yesterday amid rockets and other violence, though turnout still remained relatively high. U.S. and Iraqi officials are calling yesterday's vote a success, even though the New York Times reported more than 100 explosions went off before polls had opened.
The head of Iraq's election commission said turnout for Iraq's parliamentary election was between 55 percent and 60 percent, though exact figures will be released at a news conference later today.
That figure is below the
last parliamentary election, which was held in December 2005, when roughly 76
percent of voters turned out. But the figure
is higher than last year's provincial elections, which saw just more than half
of voters show up.
"I have great respect for the millions of Iraqis who refused to be deterred by acts of violence, and who exercised their right to vote today," President Barack Obama said.
The election, which was supposed to be held last January, has long been seen as a landmark in the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The results of yesterday's vote - official tallies won't be available for a few days - and the country's stability whatever those results may be, directly relates to how long U.S. forces will stay in the country.
"We will continue with the responsible removal of the United States forces from Iraq," Obama said.
The Obama Administration used Iraq's voting milestone to reassure Americans that their job in Iraq was winding down.
"Indeed, for the first time in years, there are now fewer than 100,000 American troops serving in Iraq," Obama said.
At least 38 lives were claimed in election-day attacks, and several dozen more injured.
