The media was rather restrained in its reactions as the Iraqi people voted in provincial elections on Saturday. Yet, this was news of enormous value not only to the Iraqis themselves but to a world that has, or should have, an interest in what is hoped will be a burgeoning democracy where previously there has been dictatorship, terrorism, war, or counter-terrorism and civil war.
The turnout to elect 440 candidates out of 14,000 that contested 14 of the country's 18 provinces, was reported to be high. The campaign itself was conducted more peacefully than has ever been the case. It was certainly a far cry from what happened in 2005 when many who had been courageous enough to vote had been tracked down and assassinated. Their identification as having voted? Ink on their fingers.
Cases of violence were reported this time but, generally speaking, the atmosphere was such that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki could say, with equanimity and a sense of well-deserved pride, that the election has been "a victory for all the Iraqis" and "proof that the Iraqi people (were) now living in real security".
Significantly, there were no reports of any widespread vote-rigging although tribal sheikhs on Monday threatened to take up arms over what they said was fraud during Saturday's elections.
The event built on previous elections that have taken place since the tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein came to an end in 2003. It is also seen as acting as a precursor to parliamentary elections later this year.
The difference this time was that, for all intents and purposes, the majority of the population turned out to vote, in stark contrast to four years ago when, for the most part, Sunni voters boycotted the process. This time they joined in with enthusiasm and their participation has ensured that Shia parties will no longer dominate the post-Saddam political scene to the extent they have done in that suffering country.
Bearing in mind that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein led to ferocious internecine warfare between the Shia and Sunni factions that make up the majority of voters in western, central and southern Iraq - the Kurdish element is in the north - the conduct of the elections and their outcome can be interpreted as a tribute to Mr al-Maliki. It is expected that support for him will increase at the expense of those parties that harped on militancy sectarian violence.
It is also a tribute to the deepening success of the American military surge, which contributed greatly to the spreading pacification of the country, that Iraqi security forces are increasing their control over most parts of Iraq. No Coalition forces were involved in the security process during Saturday's elections, an achievement that is increasingly being recognised by sceptical onlookers.
Law and order, it needs to be emphasised, are not guaranteed. They have to be fought for every day; established every day. It is a measure of the changes being wrought in Iraq that the frontiers of sectarianism that dominated the country are being steadily pushed back.
More significantly for the future, the majority of the Sunni insurgents who took up their place alongside al-Qaeda are demonstrating vividly that they have given up the bullet for the ballot.
This is a remarkable development, one that will be regarded with growing displeasure by Teheran, whose fingers in the Iraqi pie have been well-documented. It is also a development that President Barack Obama should continue to build upon.