The big turnout in a largely peaceful election in Iraq is a good sign that the Iraqi people hunger to take control of their country into their own hands.

The sooner that happens, the sooner U.S. troops in Iraq can begin coming home in significant numbers.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the election was the large turnout in Sunni areas. In the first election, many Sunnis boycotted the ballot boxes. Now, the Sunnis feel that was a mistake, that they had no voice in the future of the country.

The trend toward greater Sunni participation was evident in the vote on the constitution two months ago, and it was pronounced in the election on Thursday.

In Ramadi and Fallujah, once the stronghold of insurgents, voters streamed to the polls in large numbers. Iraqi voters said they wanted Sunnis represented in the new government. “I feel I lost all my rights last time, and now I’ll have all my rights restored through this government,” Mahmood Mohammad Hussein told The New York Times in Ramadi.

Particularly in Sunni regions voters were motivated by the belief that by participating in the election, they would be speeding the day that U.S. troops would pull out.

“This election will lead to the American occupation forces leaving Ramadi and Iraq,” Jamal Mahmoud told Reuters in Ramadi.

Another clear motivating factor was the desire for an end to violence. “The first thing we want from the new government is security,” Hussein Ali Abbas told The Associated Press in Baghdad.

The election results, which probably won’t be known for at least several days, will determine the makeup of the 275-seat Council of Representatives, which will play an enormous role in the future of Iraq. It will select a president and prime minister and allocate wealth to federal regions.

The broad participation in the election justifiably nurtures hope that the Iraqis will see the new government as legitimate, rather than a puppet government run by Americans, and will commit their time and energy to its success.

There were signs that at least some of the voters saw the election in those terms and looked forward to self-government with pride. “I am proud as an Iraqi because our country is becoming a center of attraction for all Arab countries,” Mohammed Wadi told the Los Angeles Times in Baghdad. “The new situation in Iraq, the democratic system, is starting to put pressure on the Arab systems to make some changes toward democracy.”

The effort to establish the new Iraqi government still faces formidable odds. But every time the Iraqis have gone to the polls the turnout has been larger and the commitment greater. The momentum is in the right direction.