Was that a warning or a threat? “Maliki aide warns of postvote violence if Sunni group wins,” by Margaret Coker in the Wall Street Journal, March 25 (thanks to Twostellas):
BAGHDAD–A top aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned that violence would erupt across the majority Shiite country should the Sunni-heavy alliance led by Ayad Allawi win the parliamentary election held earlier this month.
Tensions are rising in response to preliminary vote totals from the March 7 election that indicate a neck-and-neck race between Mr. Maliki’s political coalition and the bloc led by Mr. Allawi in an election seen as a barometer of stability in the fragile democracy.
Final results are due to be released Friday, and Shiites are nervous that they could lose their brief lock on power…