Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary elections represent the ultimate “stress test” for the country’s fragile democratic transition. Just as a cardiologist uses a treadmill to test a heart patient’s vital signs, the upcoming elections will test how well Iraqi political institutions and processes have evolved since the last round of national elections in 2005.
Regardless of the outcome, a new government in Iraq will represent an opportunity for the Obama administration to link its Iraq policy to a more coherent strategic approach to the broader Middle East.