RAND Experts Available on Iraq Election Results

RAND experts are available to discuss a variety of subjects related to Friday's expected release of final results from the recent parliamentary elections in Iraq, including:

• The election results appear to be closer than first expected. How will this affect the future political situation in Iraq, particularly in the formation of a government?
• Will the results and their aftermath significantly affect the timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces?
• How will the results affect Iraq's relations with Iran?
• What will happen if Iraq takes months – or longer – to form a government?
• Will the results provide a better understanding of whether the Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds are able to establish a long-lasting political settlement?

Amb. Charles Ries is a RAND senior fellow and served as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Coordinator for Economic Transition in Iraq at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Amb. James Dobbins is director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND, and author of Occupying Iraq: A History of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Nora Bensahel is a RAND senior political scientist focusing on Iraq and Afghanistan. She is the author of After Saddam: Prewar Planning and the Occupation of Iraq.