BuzzMachine

On MSNBC

: For the sleepless, a reminder that I’ll be blogboy on MSNBC Sunday from 6a to noon and again in the Ron and Monica show between 5 and 6p covering the blog view of Iraqi elections (see the posts below). I’m preceded by Will Femia (who better leave good stuff for me) and followed by Joe Trippi.

In a half-dozen segments, I plan on covering (and this can change in a second) some of the emotional reaction to the election quoted below; coverage of citizen journalists in Iraq via blogs and Friends of Democracy (links below); video and photo from citizen journalists in Iraq; blogs by young Iraqis; possibly military bloggers’ reports; possibly American blog reaction; and, of course, news as it breaks and blogs.

If you find good links, please do email me or leave comments here. I appreciate the help.

Military blogging the election?

: If you see any military bloggers in Iraq writing about the election — especially with accounts from the polls — please leave links in the comments.

: Also, if you see particularly good American or non-Iraqi blog comment — from both sides — please also leave links in the comments.

Thanks.

: Here’s one: RedSix, recently awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in battle, blogs this:

This is the first time I have seen the internet in days. This past week, the line platoons only have time to wake-up, be on mission all day without coming back to the FOB, and getting in near midnite to get some sleep.

The soldiers of 2-63 AR BN are out there hardening the election sites and working around the clock to provide security for the Iraqis. I’m pretty excited about being out there for something historical. Not all my soldiers can be out there but I have guys begging to be taken out in sector. Seeing how bad these locals want the elections to happen has been pretty inspiring for us. I will be posting photos of the guys laying wire and dropping barriers when I have more time, probably after elections are over.

: Another from Strawberry Fields:

I have some positive news to report for once. For the last few days, I

Anticipation

: Here are some quotes from Iraqi bloggers as they anticipate the vote. They all should be an inspiration — and perhaps a shame — to those of us who have become blase about democracy and freedom, who growl over our choices and don’t even bother showing up at the polls. Democracy is fragile and precious; we forget that. These people don’t:

: Ali of of Free Iraq (formerly of IraqTheModel) talks about his cynicism about politics and parties and his nation. But then he says:

Still and with all this skepticism, I’m going to vote and I don’t care if it means risking my life and I don’t even care that much how the end results are going to be, not now! …

Now, and thanks to other humans, not from my area, religion and who don’t even speak my language, I and all Iraqis have the real chance to make the change. Now I OWN my home and I can decide who’s going to run things in it and how and I won’t waste that chance. Tomorrow as I cast my vote, I’ll regain my home. I’ll regain my humanity and my dignity, as I stand and fulfill part of my responsibilities to this part of the large brotherhood of humanity. Tomorrow I’ll say I’M IRAQI AND I’M PROUD, as being Iraqi this time bears a different meaning in my mind. It’s being an active and good part of humanity. Tomorrow I and the Iraqis that are going to vote will rule, not the politicians we’re going to vote for, as it’s our decision and they’ll work for us this time and if we don’t like them we’ll kick them out! Tomorrow my heart will race my hand to the box. Tomorrow I’ll race even the sun to the voting centre, my Ka’aba and my Mecca. I’m so excited and so happy that I can’t even feel the fear I though I would have at this time. I can’t wait until tomorrow.

: Ali’s brother, Mohammed, writes at Iraq The Model:

It’s a moment of pure freedom but still surrounded by lots of dangers just like any beautiful rose surrounded by spikes.

There is fear from the enemies of freedom who have their weapons already prepared to intimidate us and stop us from choosing our future….

We’re standing before a historic moment and I won’t be exaggerating if I said that it’s an important moment for the whole world; we’re standing before a crossroads and everyone should watch and learn from the rebirth of Iraq.

Regardless of the winners in the se elections, those who opposed the elections and resisted the change will have to deal with the new reality.

In 48 hours from now, the dying dictatorships and their filthy tools, the terrorists, will find themselves facing an elected legitimate government in Iraq.

The neurotic Iraqi wife gives us a picture of the blue ink they put on voters’ fingers at polling places and calls it the mark of my freedom.

And then she paints this great scene from the city where she voted (not sure where that is):

Crowds and crowds of people started walking in at 730am on a Friday morning. It was simply beautiful. Families singing and clapping as they made their way through. I cant describe the feelings of jubilation. There were chocolates and sweets being distributed and one family brought in huge pots of rice and mutton and gave it to everyone in the center. Umm, No Thank You…

: Fayrouz, an Iraqi expat in Dallas, watches her countrymen in Australia as they were the first to vote and she writes:

There are times when I don’t know what to say. This moment is one of those times. Sorry, I’m so happy and don’t want to ruin the moment by saying any silly words.

: Many, like Ahmed, are still deciding whether to vote:

Personally, I very much do want to vote, but up to this moment I have not decided whether I actually will. I think I

Wankers of the day

: I wouldn’t use such an infantile headline except to demonstrate that what goes around comes around.

Atrios joins the Washington Post going after Dick Cheney for what he wore at Auschwitz. Hey, there’s plenty of things to go after Dick Cheney for. But the man is a heart patient. What’s so wrong with keeping warm? And are we on the left really reduced to the Mr. Blackwell party? I’ve got it: If we can’t decide who should head the DNC, let’s elect Joan Rivers.

Iraqi election coverage

: Here’s a roundup of blogs covering the Iraq election. I’ll be using this list when I appear on MSNBC Sunday as blogboy from 6 a.m. (!) to noon and again in the 5 p.m. hour. If you have more blogs to recommend, please add them. Also, can someone give me a link to current U.S. military blogs?

IRAQI BLOGGERS

: Friends of Democracy has citizen correspondents in each province filing reports, mostly in Arabic, which are translated and posted here. Michael J. Totten is acting as anchor-blogger through the election. Note that they will have a webcast show about this starting at 2p ET Sunday and it will also be aired on C-SPAN.

: Friends of Democracy was founded by Omar and Mohammed of IraqTheModel. They will be covering the election. Their brother, Ali, is covering things from here.

: Hammorabi has been critical of security and the current government but is excited about election day (a great post).

: Democracy in Iraq is a new one to me by a 26-year-old whose European-educated father taught his children English.

: Kurdo is blogging the election from Kurdistan, complete with pictures and an endorsement for List 173.

: Here is a Kurdish group blog. Read this post by Sami: One citizen talking about his choice in the election.

: A Kurd in London covered absentee voting there, complete with pictures of electioneering by the poll.

: A Family in Baghdad is written (in Arabic and English) by the other of Raed (Salam Pax’ pal) and his brothers. It is generally against the occupation and recent posts include letters from the mothers of American soldiers killed there.

: Riverbend‘s latest post is about getting water, not the election.

: Live from Baghad is by Ayad, who just returned to Iraq from Cleveland.

: The Neurotic Iraqi Wife thinks that registration is light.

: Rose, a mother in Baghad, isn’t sure she’ll be able to get online for the election. She writes about daily life in her city.

: Fayrouz covers the news via Dallas.

: In Sun of Iraq, Alaasmary writes: “There are four days and the democracy will win; it will be a real war against the terrorists.”

: Iraqi Thoughts is covering the election from Canada and today writes about the numbers in expat voting.

: Life in Baghdad.

: Baghdad Dweller is covering the election.

: Citizen of Mosul is a doctor who writes about a typical day there.

: Iraqi Comments is from a 25-year-old in Belgium.

: I expect to see Alaa posting here.

: Zeyad is in Jordan until after the election.

: Iraq Election blog with links to the parties.

: Iraqi Letter to America.

: Iraqi Enterprise is a company offering news links.

: Iraq Blog Count.

IRAQI YOUTH

: Aunt Najma gives us the perspective from Mosul.

: Nabil, Zeyad’s teen brother, talks about the election in his school.

: Baghdad Girl, a 13-year-old who writes about living in fear and puts up pictures of her cats, like any self-respecting blogger.

: HNK is eager for the Americans to leave Mosul.

: Khalid, Raed’s brother, blogs here.

: Then Some is an Iraqi college student already cynical about elected politicians.

MORE

: Hardblogger‘s David Shuster is reporting from Baghdad.

: Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist, reports from Iraq. [via Lost Remote]

: The BBC’s reporter blog and citizens’ blog.

: Command Post, of course.

: Mark Cuban’s HDnet (high-definition TV) will be covering the election full-time.

: Later… Here’s the Iraq Election Newswire.

: Here are Friends of Democracy’s original Arabic-language reports (using the world’s first Arabic-language blogging tool!).

: Here are the latest photos from Friends of Democracy.

: RSS: Follow all the links above on this Kinja aggregator page.

: LATER….

: Christopher Allbritton is blogging again from Iraq.