Ryan Crocker

Iraq's provincial elections go off without a hitch.  Money quote:

BAGHDAD —  Iraqis passed through security checkpoints and razor-wire cordons to vote Saturday in provincial elections that are considered a crucial test of the nation's stability as U.S. officials consider the pace of troop withdrawals. There were no reports of major violence.

Polls closed at 6 p.m. (9 a.m. CST) on Saturday — an hour later than planned — after millions of voters cast ballots for influential regional councils around most of Iraq.

Officials said counting would begin Sunday with preliminary results not expected before Tuesday.

Click here for photos.

Voting ended with no reports of major violence, though voters at some polling stations complained that their names did not appear on lists. Balloting was extended for one hour

This successful election moves us one step closer to George W. Bush's vision of a free and democratic Iraq, at peace with it's neighbors, that is an ally in the War on Terror.  For midwifeing this day, George W. Bush deserves tremendous credit for three monumental decisions:

1) The Initial Liberation -- Six years ago, Iraq was enslaved to one of the worst tyrants in human history.  In addition to his (documented) support for Al Qaeda, said tyrant was involved in all sorts of nefarious activity.  George W. Bush quite rightly realized that said situation was unacceptable on both security and moral grounds; where others offered talk, George W. Bush acted.  In removing Saddam Hussein from power, George W. Bush did more to advance American security interests in the Middle East than any President in American History.

2) Making Democracy Central -- Following the success of the initial liberation, George W. Bush could have taken the easy way out and installed a pro-American dictator.  Many on the right urged George W. Bush to do just that.  Unlike his father, George W. Bush understood that backing a new tyrant would be counterproductive in the long run.  George W. Bush realized  previous American support for tyrants was the only legitimate greivance the terrorists could claim.  Courageous decisions like making democracy central from courageous leaders like George W. Bush make days like January 31, 2009 possible.

3) The Surge -- This might have been the greatest act of Presidential Leadership in the past century.

 In January 2007, the odds against success in Iraq appeared overwhelming to everyone except George W. Bush and his core political supporters.  The fact that the consequences of defeat would have been catastrophic for the United States didn't register in the public consciousness.

Following his public repudiation in November 2006, George W. Bush could have spent the final two years of his Presidency cowering under the bed apologizing for liberating 25 million men and women; the drive-by media might have praised George W. Bush for "growing in office," his poll numbers might have even gone up.  Instead, George W. Bush told the Washington D.C. wizards of smart to go Blagojevich themselves and George W. Bush adopted a new strategy.   Like Lincoln in 1864, George W. Bush finally found his General Grant and General Sherman.  Like 1864, the turnaround was swift and dramatic.

Bush (43's) Iraq Policy (in it's final interation) was so successful it made Iraq irrelevant to the contest to pick his successor.

All in all, a job well done by our underappreciated 43rd President!