A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Iraqi Elections: Now We Wait

Despite a number of bomb attacks, Iraqis appear to have turned out pretty well and the elections seem to have been a sign of increasing normal life. And the media got a whole lot more pictures of people holding up fingers dipped in purple ink.

That the elections took place is encouraging, reassuring, and somewhat invigorating for those who think democracy is not in fact alien to the Middle East.

On the flip side, though, how the Parliament is configured and how long it takes to get a Prime Minister will be the real story. I'll comment more when we have clearer results. It's going to be a rough week on the day job and I will post when I can.

One comment on a lighter note: Although early estimates suggest Prime Minister al-Maliki's State of Law Alliance is doing very well in the Shi‘ite majority regions, I do wish someone would tell him and his alliance that every time they use the acronym "SOL" to refer to themselves, they may be evoking a contrary message among some colloquial English (or American at least) speakers.

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