This publication is now archived. Why have Iraq’s Shiites opted to form a single electoral slate?Iraqi Shiites--some 60 percent of Iraq’s population--have never held political power and see the Janua…

This publication is now archived. IntroductionIraqi voters going to the polls in elections to choose a permanent parliament will face a diverse list of candidates and coalitions. All told, more than …

This publication is now archived. Who is the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani?He is the most important Shiite cleric in Iraq, where the population is about 60 percent Shiite. The reclusive, Iranian-bor…

This publication is now archived. Who controls Iraq’s government?The Interim Iraq Government (IIG). Under the terms of an annex to Iraq’s temporary constitution--the Transitional Administrative Law (…