Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks

Abstract

Iraq's political system, the result of a U.S.-supported election process, continues to be riven by sectarianism and ethnic and factional infighting. As 2009 begins, there is renewed maneuvering by opponents of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to possibly try to replace him. Internal dissension aside, the Bush Administration has been optimistic that the passage of key laws in 2008, coupled with the provincial elections to be held January 31, 2009, will sustain recent reductions in violence. Campaigning for the provincial elections, to be held in all provinces except Kirkuk and the Kurdish-controlled provinces, has thus far been relatively peaceful and enthusiastic and party slates appear to be considerably different than those that competed in the January 2005 provincial elections. See CRS Report RL31339, "Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security," by Kenneth Katzman.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 02, 2009
Accession Number
ADA493184

Entities

People

  • Kenneth Katzman

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Administrative Law
  • Congress
  • Elections
  • Governments
  • Kurds
  • Law
  • Minority Groups
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Political Systems
  • Sectarian Violence
  • Security
  • Security Personnel
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Violence

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.