Iraq Hopes for Change

"The NYT has a story on how the March 7 vote is a test for both Iraq's prime minister and the country itself. The election certainly is a test for both Nouri Al Maliki and the people of Iraq. The reporter says: "How he wins — or perhaps more significantly, how he loses — will more than anything else determine the country’s course in the coming years as President Obama carries out his promise to withdraw all American troops."

I'm not sure the story focused on how sectarian Maliki has turned out to be. He originally presented himself as a middle of the road guy who cracked down on both Sunni and Shiite militias. But he has shown his true colours now. "Even his own supporters acknowledge that Mr. Maliki now appears isolated, imperious and impetuous, his re-election prospects hurt by events out of his control and by others of his own making.""
IraqPundit