Iraq: Al-Maliki's Choice

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Oct. 1 announcement that he will not join an Iranian-backed Shiite-dominated coalition and will operate his own non-sectarian "State of Law" coalition instead effectively draws the battle lines between Washington and Tehran for the upcoming January parliamentary elections. Al-Maliki's coalition worked well in the country's provincial elections earlier this year, but Iran is several steps ahead in laying the groundwork for the upcoming political battle.