Tribes not parties, rule Iraqi politics

Upcoming provincial elections are revealing how tribal loyalties, rather than modern political parties, rule in Iraq, observers say. In Anbar province, home of the most militant Sunni Arab resistance to the U.S. invasion and overthrow of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, a complicated landscape of shifting loyalties, often manipulated by American largess, is in play rather than principled adherence to democratic values represented by political parties, The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO) reported. Residents told the Post it is clear that the tribes, with their shifting loyalties and personal grievances, play the decisive role in Iraq's politics. "We wanted technocrats, and we were left with the tribes," Sabah Ani, a Fallujah doctor, told the newspaper. This week's elections have triggered a fierce and personal competition in Anbar as sheiks and the Iraqi Islamic Party try to piece together a slate of candidates that can lay claim to the most tribal support. The Islamic Party is reportedly unpopular but still powerful because it's part of the government and uses patronage to award jobs in the state and security forces.