“Dozens of Iraqi journalists waited hours for results in Iraq’s election. What they finally got was a single CD containing all the information and instructions to make copies themselves, prompting a mad dash to the nearest Internet cafe where they paid $1.20 each to find out who was ahead in the ballot count. It was the latest example of the ongoing chaos in Iraq’s postelection count, which has fueled uncertainty and allegations of fraud. Questions about the vote’s validity could undermine U.S. ambitions to set a standard for democracy in the Middle East.” (03/18/10)