There have been isolated cases of ballot shenanigans on all sides in Iraq, and I read about several examples during the constitution referendum. Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, you name it.

The key is how well the results are accepted in spite of this, and as Tony points out, how losers handle losing. The next couple of months in Iraq will be one of the most critical periods since the war started.

With luck, by the end of 2006, nobody will have fielded any armies or militias, and everybody will be standing in Parliament screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Just like a real democracy.