let us hope today
that holding this first election
in Iraq
will be the first stage
of the healing
and the self-empowering of
this wounded, complex country
regardless of how you feel about the war
and how you feel about the way this president has handled taking us to war
and handled winning the peace after getting there
today
its all about Iraq
trying as best it can to take itself back
from America
from its past wounds with Hussein
from its many terrorist factions all wanting their piece
from the rest of the world
this war and its aftermath are costing americans billions
billions of dollars not spent
on our health-care
billions that could be put into the much talked about social security
billions that could save our homeless
billions that could go to Aids research
billions that could give jobs to the jobless
billions that could lift the economy
let us hope that the money
and the lives
and the pain
and the anguish
of the people in our country
who have lost so much because of this war
will not be in vain
that in the end
Iraq will stand tall and proud
as a brave and brilliant democracy
a first of its kind
amongst its neighbors
today
let us hope
is the beginning
of a new era
for Iraq
and the beginning of a healing
era
for all those who have lost everything
and who today
need to see something good come of it
