Ghazi al-Yawar's smile says it all.

I am watching the State of the Union Address and marveling at the success of the Iraqi elections. The heroes of the day were the Iraqi people and especially their police. The Iraqi police have been targeted relentlessly by the terrorists. On Sunday they held their own. They had also been criticized for not being ready. They paid a price so that the Iraqi people could vote. They did all right.

No doubt there will be more terror in Iraq, but for all of their rage and calls for violence - Zarqawi and the other terrorists could not stop the Iraqi people. Zarqawi called democracy a heresy. The Iraqi people took to it naturally. Our President is right, freedom does beat in every human heart.

The violence was regrettable - but if this is the best the terrorists could do - then maybe, just maybe, the situation in Iraq is finally headed in the right direction.