Council on Foreign Relations

- Iraqi parliament passes long-awaited election law.
- The Dalai Lama visits disputed province, angering Chinese officials.
- China pledges ten billion dollars in aid to Africa.
- Abortions rights advocates plan to block U.S. healthcare bill.

Iraq's parliament passed a long-delayed election law (WashPost) Sunday over the disputed city of Kirkuk, allaying concerns that a constitutional crisis would impede the drawdown of U.S. troops. The vote came after U.S. and UN officials pressured Iraqi lawmakers to hasten the pace of negotiations and overcome disagreements.

As part of the law, Kurdish and Arab lawmakers agreed to examine votes cast in Kirkuk for months after the election to assess the impact of Kurds entering Kirkuk since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. The move could alter the outcome of the election in Kirkuk and fuel disagreements between Sunni Arabs and Kurds over oil and control of the city.

The election law also allows citizens to vote for an individual rather than a party, sets aside five parliamentary seats for minorities, and allows Kirkuk to be kept as one electoral constituency (al-Jazeera).

U.S. President Barack Obama said the law's approval paved the way (VOA) for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Analysis

In a CFR interview, expert Joost Hiltermann says Iraq appears headed for an uncertain, and potentially violent, political season with no clear dominant faction emerging ahead of January parliamentary elections.

Background

An Institute for the Study of War report details the structure of the Kurdistan Regional Government, its major political parties, and the dynamics of the upcoming election.

Saudi Arabia says it has regained control (al-Jazeera) of an area seized by Yemeni rebels after launching a series of Saudi air raids and artillery attacks against Houthi fighters crossing the border.

The Dalai Lama drew tens of thousands of followers during a "non-political" visit to India's Arunachal Pradesh near the disputed Sino-Indian border, angering Chinese officials (South China Morning Post).

North Korea: The Sydney Morning Herald reports that North Korea's military has taken nearly complete control of the state-run economy and struck mineral trade deals with China that have been lucrative for North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il.

A mayor who publicly opposed the Taliban was killed in a suicide bombing (Dawn) in Peshawar on Sunday. A second suicide bombing in Peshawar killed three people on Monday.

A CFR Backgrounder examines Pakistan's new generation of terrorists. 

Afghanistan: The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs says UN Special Envoy Kai Eide spoke beyond his authority (Quqnoos) in instructing Afghan President Hamid Karzai to exclude warlords from the government and initiate reforms.

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has offered ten billion dollars (New Vision) in concessional loans to Africa over the next three years in an effort to strengthen its relations with the continent.

A CFR Online Debate considers whether Chinese investment is good for Africa.

Sudan: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir cancelled a visit (al-Jazeera) to Istanbul for an Islamic conference after the European Union pressured Turkey to stop him from attending or to arrest him upon arrival on war crimes charges.

Abortion rights supporters say they will block final passage (WashPost) of healthcare legislation due to anti-abortion provisions in the U.S. House bill that passed Saturday.

A CFR Backgrounder examines the cost of healthcare and its impact on U.S. competitiveness.

Brazil and Argentina: Israeli President Shimon Peres plans to discuss "Iranian infiltration" (MercoPress) in Latin America and boosting bilateral trade and investments during the first visit to Brazil and Argentina in decades by an Israeli head of state beginning today.

Iceland has appointed its chief EU accession negotiator amid domestic and international concerns (EUObserver) that the Icelandic people do not want to become EU members.

Germany: Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Deutsche Welle examines its impact and the events that led up to the turning point in history.

In a CFR Expert Brief, James Goldgeier writes that U.S. policymakers since the fall of the Berlin Wall have struggled to establish new grand strategies.

The BBC reports that new energy technology, which makes it easier and cheaper to extract gas from shale rock, could shift the balance of global power in energy and geopolitics.