Amid Violence And Without U.S. Troops, Iraq Votes
Iraqis are voting for parliament Wednesday for the first time since American soldiers withdrew more than two years ago. Without their support, and amid intense violence, the poll will test Iraq's fragile democracy to its limits.
The election is for the 328-seat parliament and offers more than 9,000 candidates on party lists. It will probably end up with no party winning a majority and lead to weeks or months of coalition haggling to form a new government.
It comes at a time of ongoing battles between Sunni Muslim extremists and Iraqi security forces. Al Qaida-linked groups have overtaken the city of Fallujah. That conflict and numerous bombings against civilian areas have claimed at least 2,600 lives this year, according to the United Nations.
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