You may have notice that this blog promises you posts about Iraq — and yet I have posted not a thing about the provincial elections. Two reasons are behind this decision: first, I don’t have what I would consider a solid-enough understanding of the dynamics of the race — fractures exist within and across the old sectarian coalitions; but what does that really tell you? — and second, I’ve recently had to split my focus on a couple other areas, mostly related to Obama’s initial interactions with the national-security bureaucracy. The second factor of course influences the first.

So, for a cheat sheet ahead of today’s outcome, see Ilan Goldenberg. After the results are in I’ll try to make some kind of sense out of them.

And as for the somewhat anguished tone of this post: this is my internal editor expressing disappointment in my performance. "So many news organizations have turned their attention away from Iraq," the editor says in a memo on which my internal publisher is CC’d, "and you’re going to follow the herd? So much for standards! So much for integrity! Worst blog ever! What a self-righteous prick you reveal yourself to be! I’ll bet you’re going to give up on maybe going back to Iraq this year?" My internal editor has a kind of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude and considers any nod to the value of previous work to be an excuse for laziness