Experts analyze the results and political implications of the March 2010 Iraqi elections.

Iraq's security forces performed especially well during parliamentary elections but a big test looms in the months ahead as votes are counted and Iraqi factions try to form a government, says CFR's Brett McGurk.

Meghan L. O'Sullivan discusses why, in Iraq, "the process of forming a government is likely to be prolonged."

In this guide to the Iraqi elections, Foreign Policy takes a look at the manifold parties, coalitions, and sects involved, providing a comprehensive profile of each party's leadership, main constituency, power center, and history. 

Meghan O'Sullivan, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Brett McGurk, International Affairs fellow in residence at the Council on Foreign Relations, discuss the upcoming March 2010 Iraqi Parliamentary elections.

CFR's Meghan O'Sullivan and Brett McGurk say the fracturing of Iraqi political coalitions make the upcoming parliamentary elections more complicated as well as a possibly healthy step in the country's evolution.

Abbas Kadhim outlines the sources of local and systemic corruption in Iraq and its effects on the nation's prospects for democracy and the rule of law.

As the United States must not abandon the thousands of Iraqis currently risking their lives to work alongside our soldiers, diplomats, and aid workers. The Obama Administration cannot wait until the final hours of the withdrawal to address this moral imperative.

Rachel Schneller says, "The massive upheaval of Iraq's population that has occurred since 2006 threatens the long-term stability of the country, regardless of short-term gains achieved through the political process or military surges."

The coalition led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is likely to lead in the March 7 parliamentary elections, as Iraqis look for stability and security after years of conflict, says Nir Rosen, an analyst of Iraq's political scene.

Rachek Schneller explains the divisions among Shi'a Arabs in Iraq.

Ambassador Christopher Hill talks about Iraqi governance and the political and security implications of elections scheduled for early next month.

Watch Ambassador Christopher Hill talk about Iraqi governance and the political and security implications of elections scheduled for early next month.

Listen to Ambassador Christopher Hill talk about Iraqi governance and the political and security implications of elections scheduled for early next month.

Stephen Biddle discusses the perils of viewing the situation in Iraq as a "solved problem."

As Iraq's pre-election crisis deepens, Iraq analyst Reidar Visser says Washington must do more to counter the sectarian agenda emerging in Baghdad's political landscape.

Reports of Sunnis being banned from Iraq's March 7 elections are a reminder of the dangerous fault lines in Iraqi politics, which the United States can best influence with support rather than interference, says CFR's Brett McGurk.

Iraqis don't blame Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for an uptick in violence, but that doesn't mean he'll prevail in March 7 parliamentary elections, says veteran Middle East correspondent Jane Arraf.

"As the Iraqi political process revs up, terrorist acts occur that appear aimed at steering the political process," writes Rachel Schneller.