Iraq held
its first election of local councils since the withdrawal of American troops Saturday. Elections were relatively peaceful, in that
no deaths were reported. However a few
were wounded in explosions in different regions throughout the country. While the election was symbolic of peace to
the international community, the results could have a significant impact on the
political direction of Iraq's Sunni/Shiite relations. If Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and
his Shiite Islamist party win support, Mr. Maliki could further alienate Sunni
Muslim rivals and create a Shiite majority dominated government that would propel
him into a third term as prime minister.
“By winning at the local level, national parties can control provincial
governments and deepen their power bases ahead of that vote.” It will be interesting to see how the results of this election play out!
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/world/middleeast/iraqs-first-vote-since-us-exit-is-mostly-calm.html?_r=0
Erin Burneson
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