Iraq parliament clears way for Jan. 21 election
Last Updated:Monday, November 9, 2009 | 8:17 AM ET
The head of Iraq's electoral commission said the country could holdnational elections on Jan. 21, five days after the scheduled date butsooner than American observers feared.
Faraj al-Haidari, head of the Iraqi electoral commission, said a lawpassed in parliament on Sunday broke a political stalemate in theoil-rich city of Kirkuk and cleared the way for a Jan. 21 election date.
President Jalal Talabani and two vice-presidents must still approve the law before it is enacted, said al-Haidari.
The elections had been slated for Jan. 16, but weeks of debate overhow to conduct the vote in Kirkuk had U.S. officials concerned that adelay might affect plans to end combat operations by Aug. 31, 2010 andwithdraw troops by the end of 2011.
U.S. ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said Sunday the troop withdrawal was on schedule now that the law was in place.