Inuagurual Report From Kurdistan

"The most amazing thing happened when the swearing in took place. When the President (elect) took his place at the podium, every employee came out of the kitchen, every Kurdish and Iraqi patron stood up. We followed their lead, and many cried while he was sworn in.  I cannot even attempt to understand the emotions which took place here, in a nondescript restaurant, in Erbil Kurdistan and we had to argue with the owner to be able to pay our full bill - they wanted to cover it - in a place where people earn an average of 3k per year. I thought that you might be interested in this observation of what just happened, in this remote part of the world, as American democracy shows its face yet again."

Steve Mackenzie, Erbil, Iraqi Kurdisan