Election view from Baghdad

A reader writes:

I'm embedded with the military in Saddam's Presidential Palace and sent in my absentee ballot - for Obama - weeks ago. One of my colleagues [contractor, retired military] strongly supports McCain-Palin, believes Obama is a Muslim, etc.  He told me he wasn't going to send in the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot because someone told him it wouldn't be counted unless the election was close.  Well, that's not true.  They do, eventually, count all the valid ballots for the official totals, issued several weeks later.

I showed him how to print one out [from fvap.gov] and encouraged him to participate, no matter what.  Even though we disagree on the candidates, he really appreciated my taking the time to ensure that he sent in his vote.  Even if, in the end, his state does not count his ballot [maybe he should have requested an absentee ballot in advance, and maybe he didn't; I don't know], it's important to me that everyone have a voice in this election.

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http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/the-view-from-7.html