Syrians Vote

by Stephen Lendman

June 3 was historic. It was Syria's first ever free, fair, open democratic presidential election.

Hassan al-Nouri and Maher Hajjar competed with Assad. He's overwhelmingly popular.

He'll win easily. Only his victory margin remains to be determined.

Syrians want no one else leading them. Especially while conflict continues. He's fighting for Syrian freedom. He's defeating Obama's dirty game.

On Tuesday, 9,601 polling stations opened at 7:00AM. Heavy turnout kept them open until midnight. To accommodate everyone wanting to vote.

Syrians in hot zones voted in safe areas. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported "massive" turnout.

A Syrian Presidential Facebook posting said:

"Syrians, who are always up to the expectations, prove day after day their commitment to the culture of life, hope and challenge in the face of the culture of death, terrorism and closeness."

They're committed to preserving Syrian sovereignty, it added. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem issued a statement, saying:

"No one grants legitimacy except the Syrian people. The Syrians register today their free will in democratic, transparent elections to elect who will lead them" for the next seven years.

They alone are enfranchised. "No one can impose (their) will on the Syrian people."

Assad and his wife Asma voted at a school near his Damascus presidential residence. Hajjar cast his ballot in Salhiya Quarter's parliament palace.

Al-Nuri voted at a Sheraton Hotel polling station. He commented, saying:

"Syria is becoming a different country where pluralism is taking root and a different opinion gets acceptable."

Results won't be announced until all ballots are counted. According to Supreme Judicial Committee for Elections head Hisham al-Shaar:

No exit polls were taken. "Preliminary and final results will be announced simultaneously. No tentative results will be made public."

Thirty Syrian friendly countries sent monitors. Russian upper house Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation First Deputy Chairman Alexei Alexandrov said:

"We have no doubts about the legitimacy of these polls."

"Syria does everything to get aligned with the world's democratic law-governed states."

"There are no doubts that (Assad) was confronted by serious politicians who had every ground to expect a realistic win."

"It is obvious that (he) enjoys special prestige, and the people's love for him is felt."

"From legal and objective points of view, the elections (were) held impeccably."

"The existing minor reproaches will not influence the final results."

Electoral commission member Ridvan Asan said:

"Turnout of voters has been high. Polling has been held in an open and honest manner."

Itar Tass correspondents visited 15 Damascus polling stations.

They witnessed unimpeded voting. The process was open, free and fair, they said.

Armed militants' attempts to disrupt things failed. Millions of Syrians wanting to live free foiled them.

One voter perhaps spoke for others, saying:

"Three years of struggle against Saudis and Qatar have not subdued us. They did not even dream of democracy of ours."

Another said "(t)hree years of war have not broken us. We're voting for the future."

A Damascus resident called voting "our duty. We can't allow people from outside to decide for us," he said.

"Our duty is to vote to protect our country." According to another Damascus resident:

"Even if there are mortar bombs like the terrorists promise us, we'll go and vote for Bashar Assad. This is our right."

Al-Watan Waddah editor-in-chief Abed Rabbo said no one but Assad can restore peace and stability.

"People…will vote for the person who will bring them" what they most value. And best "prospects for the future."

Syrians know Assad. They respect him. They'll elect him overwhelmingly. By a 70% majority or higher.

Syrian expats voted on May 28. Tens of thousands of Lebanese refugees turned out.

Up to an estimated 100,000. Beirut's Syrian embassy extended voting hours to accommodate them.

Washington pressure got France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and other countries to prevent Syrian expats from voting.

They endorsed sham Ukrainian and Egyptian elections. They denounced Syria's model democratic process.

It didn't deter millions of Syrians from exercising their democratic franchise. Or millions more abroad.

Western reporters in Lebanon and elsewhere were amazed. Long lines queued for hours. In countries far off as Brazil.

Overwhelmingly supporting Assad. Expressing it publicly. They want him alone representing them.

AP said he has "significant support among large sections of the population, particularly among Christians, Alawites and other religious minorities."

In Lebanon, "(t)ens of thousands of Assad supporters flocked to cast ballots at the hilltop embassy in Yarze, a town Southeast of" Beirut.

"The ensuing chaos snarled traffic, trapping schoolchildren in buses for hours and forcing some schools to cancel scheduled exams."

Voters began arriving pre-dawn. Some on backs of pickup trucks. Others in cars and buses.

Traffic was heavy. Some people abandoned cars. They walked several kilometers to polling stations.

They queued for hours in Iraq, Iran and some European countries. Qatar supports Obama's war on Syria.

It owns and operates Al Jazeera. It reported what couldn't be denied.

May 28 "was not an ordinary voting day," it said. "It was a parade of Syrians celebrating their embattled president, Bashar al-Assad, and expressing support for him."

"Since early morning, tens of thousands of Syrians flocked to the heavily fortified area surrounding the Syrian embassy in Lebanon as expatriate voting began ahead of the June 3 presidential election."

"(T)his was the most visible mass gathering the country has witnessed in the past few years and possibly, the largest-ever gathering of Syrians outside their country."

People came from everywhere. "Photos of Assad were plastered on cars and minibuses, national flags and t-shirts."

"Chanting for Assad broke out periodically on the highway, in front of the embassy and even in the polling room."

Voters said "God, Syria, Bashar only."

Reuters said  "refugees waved flags and held pictures of Bashar al-Assad as they crushed into Damascus's embassy in Lebanon…to join Syrians worldwide voting early in an election that looks certain to give him a third seven-year term as president."

"Several countries that oppose Assad, including France, have blocked the voting but Syrian government media said people were still able to participate in many countries."

"In Lebanon, which holds a million Syrians - most of them refugees - citizens were driven to the Syrian embassy in Beirut."

"Their buses blocked one of Beirut's three main highways and men and women waved Syria's flag and held up pictures of Assad."

On June 3, Reuters said Syrians are "expected to deliver an overwhelming victory for President Bashar al-Assad."

"State television showed long queues of people waiting to vote at polling stations…as well as crowds waving flags and portraits of the president."

"(N)either of Assad's rivals…enjoys much support."

Washington reacted as expected. Assistant State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf repeated one Big Lie after another.

She called Syria's model democratic process "a disgrace." She ludicrously said Assad "has no more credibility today than he did yesterday."

"Elections should be an opportunity for the people of a free society to be consulted and to play an important role in choosing their leaders," she said.

"Instead, such a process was inconceivable today in Syria, where the regime continued to reject the courageous calls for freedom and dignity that started more than three years ago."

"It intentionally denied millions of Syrians the right to vote and continued to massacre the very electorate it purports to represent and protect."

It bears repeating. Syria's election was open, free and fair. It mocked America's sham process.

As quoted above, Russian monitor Alexei Alexandrov said:

"We have no doubts about the legitimacy of these polls."

"Syria does everything to get aligned with the world's democratic law-governed states."

"It is obvious that Assad enjoys special prestige, and the people's love for him is felt."

"From legal and objective points of view, the elections (were) held impeccably."

Final results will be announced once all ballots are counted.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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