Iraqi police officers hold up their index fingers marked with purple indelible ink, a security measure to prevent double voting.

Purple Revolution is a term that some have given to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship in Iraq and the coming of democracy to the nation. The name is after the colour revolutions trend of democratic revolutionary movements in authoritarian states -- the Rose Revolution in Georgia, the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, and the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon are three examples. In this context, the "purple" stands for the ink-stain marking the index fingers of first-time voters in the 2005 Iraqi legislative election (the semi-permanent stain was to prevent fradulent multiple voting). Download high resolution version (1500x996, 175 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1500x996, 175 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Saddam Hussein Saddām Hussein ʻAbd al-Majīd al-Tikrītī (Often spelled Husayn or Hussain; Arabic صدام حسين عبدالمجيد التكريتي; born April 28, 1937 1) was President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003. ... The Republic of Iraq is a Middle Eastern country in southwestern Asia encompassing the ancient region of Mesopotamia at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ... A revolution is a relatively sudden and absolutely drastic change. ... Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence Rose Revolution refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... Georgia ( Georgian: საქართველო Sakartvelo), known from 1991 to 1995 as the Republic of Georgia, is a country to the east of the Black Sea in the southern Caucasus. ... Orange-clad supporters of Viktor Yushchenko gather in Independence Square in Kiev. ... Ukraine (Україна, Ukrayina in Ukrainian; Украина in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest and the Black Sea to the south. ... A sea of Lebanese flags carried by anti-government protestors in Beirut on 28 February 2005 Cedar Revolution has become the Western medias most commonly used name for the chain of demonstrations and popular civic action in Lebanon (mainly Beirut) triggered by the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik... The Lebanese Republic or Lebanon is a country in the Middle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria and Israel. ... Iraqi police officers hold up their index fingers marked with purple indelible ink, a security measure to prevent double voting. ...

The term first appeared shortly after the January 2005 election in various weblogs and editorials of individuals supportive of the changes in Iraq. [1]  (http://realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/blog_1_31_05_0935.html) The term received its widest usage during a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush on February 24, 2005 to Bratislava, Slovak Republic for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bush stated: "In recent times, we have witnessed landmark events in the history of liberty: A Rose Revolution in Georgia, an Orange Revolution in Ukraine, and now, a Purple Revolution in Iraq." [2]  (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050224-1.html) The first use of the term weblog. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... Order: 43rd President Vice President: Dick Cheney Term of office: January 20, 2001 – present Preceded by: Bill Clinton Succeeded by: Incumbent Date of birth: July 6, 1946 Place of birth: New Haven, Connecticut First Lady: Laura Welch Bush Political party: Republican George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bratislava - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population  - Total (2004)  - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone  - in summer CET... The Russian Federation (Russian: Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: Росси́я, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and northern Asia. ... Term of office: December 31, 1999 – Preceded by: Boris Yeltsin Succeeded by: Date of birth: October 7, 1952 Place of birth: Leningrad, U.S.S.R. First Lady: Liudmila Putina Political party: None Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: Владимир Владимирович Путин  pronunciation; born October 7, 1952) is a Russia politician and...