The announcement this week that six winning candidates in Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election have ties to the former regime of Saddam Hussein and must be disqualified jeopardizes the slim margin of victory for Iraq's former prime minister, Ayad Allawi (shown here in February). Sabah Arar/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Quil Lawrence
An Iraqi man casts his vote at a polling station in Fallujah in Anbar province on March 7. Azhar Shallal/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
An Iraqi policeman walks past campaign posters of Ibrahim al-Jaafari, right, of the Shiite Iraqi National Alliance, and Iraqi Human Rights Minister Wijdan Salim, left, of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition, at night in Baghdad, Iraq, March 1, 2010. Iraqis head to the polls on March 7 for an important national election. Hadi Mizban/AP hide caption
Trucks carrying goods from Iran to Iraq queue for inspection about 90 miles from the southeastern Iraqi city of Amara. These days, Iraqi truckers face more delays than mortal danger while working, but life remains a challenge. Essam al-Sudani/AFP/Getty Images hide caption