In a stunning display of popular courage, patriotism, tenacity, and (in the words of New York Times reporter John Burns) ?civic passion,? millions of Iraqis?predominantly from the country?s Shia and Kurdish communities?braved insurgent terrorism to make their pilgrimage to the polls for the first free national elections in Iraq in 50 years. The festive mood that developed around the elections across much of Iraq and the pride exhibited by many Iraqis in their participation in the country?s new-found democratic mechanisms gave piercing insight into the resilient character of Iraqi society. These displays of ?civic passion? suggest that the hard-won democratic freedoms and the very act of braving violence to vote may have served as a powerful crucible inculcating a degree of civic nationalist identity as Iraqis who seemed to transcend the primary ethnic and religious identities of Shias, Sunnis, and Kurds.

Insurgents mounted approximately 260 attacks nationwide on Election Day, killing 44, including nine suicide bombers, and wounding 100. These casualty rates were surprisingly low compared to the expectations among analysts and military officials of a widespread and deadly spasm of insurgent attacks intent on sabotaging the elections. However, Iraqis bravely made their way to the polls in the face of insurgent threats, and anecdotal reports suggested high turnout in Shia and Kurdish areas, with significantly lower, yet in some cases higher than expected, turnout in Sunni areas as a result of either insurgent intimidation or would-be voter participation in boycotts called by some Sunni political groups.