The Iraqi provincial elections will take place this Saturday, January 31, with early voting already ongoing. This is a very exciting time for Iraq, as these are the first elections since the flawed 2005 national legislative elections which were boycotted by most Sunnis. The outcome of these elections will determine the long term prospects for stability in Iraq, and by extension, the ability of the US to withdraw from Iraq as planned.
There are some very interesting stories in these elections, the most important in my view being that these elections take place after a very significant shift in the balance of power in Iraq toward the Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki. A victory by his supporters in these elections could give him a great amount of power and allow him to govern Iraq in his own right, rather than relying on coalition partners.
Alas, Sarah Palin is not running in these, so the level of interest in the US is low, but if you are missing the excitement of elections, or actually care what the Iraqis are up to, follow me after the flip.