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High Stakes: Iraq's Elections and What They Mean for the Country's Future

Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 / Time: 6:00am - 7:30am 

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Iraq’s 2010 national elections, run by Iraqi institutions and secured by Iraqi forces, will have far reaching consequences for Iraq’s stability, relations with its neighbors and U.S. engagement over the next four years and beyond.  USIP and ISW experts engaged in a discussion on what the elections process reveals about the evolution of Iraq’s democracy as the U.S. military drawdown approaches.

USIP hosted an event to discuss Iraq’s 2010 national elections, which were run by Iraqi institutions and secured by Iraqi forces. The event addressed how the elections have far reaching consequences for the country’s stability, relations with its neighbors - and for U.S. engagement over the next four years and beyond. Election day itself was a success – relatively secure, with a high voter turnout and a result declared fair and credible by international monitors. At the same time, the campaign and post-election certification process occurred against a backdrop of spectacular terrorist attacks and a resurgence of sectarian political discourse. As the new Iraqi government struggles to take shape amidst great uncertainty, Iraqis are asking themselves whether they will get a government worthy of their many sacrifices and oft-tested faith in the electoral process.

This event was co-sponsored by the Institute for the Study of War and the United States Institute of Peace.

Speakers

  • Rend al-Rahim
    Director of the Iraq Foundation
    Former representative of Iraq to the United States
    Former candidate for the Iraqi Council of Representatives with the Iraqiya List
    Former U.S. Institute of Peace Fellow
  • Marisa Cochrane Sullivan
    Research Manager, Institute for the Study of War
    Former Command Historian for Multi-National Force-Iraq
  • Joost Hiltermann
    Deputy Program Director, Middle East and North Africa, International Crisis Group
  • Jeremy Pam
    U.S. Institute of Peace Jennings Randolph Guest Scholar
    Former U.S. Treasury Department attaché in Iraq
  • Rusty Barber, moderator
    Director of Iraq Programs, U.S. Institute of Peace

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