Iraqis abroad line up to cast their votes

Damascus: Iraqis living abroad began casting ballots in their homeland's crucial parliamentary elections on Friday, a constituency Iraq's Sunni Arab minority hope will boost their showing.

Thousands stood in lines at polling stations in Syria and Jordan, home to the largest Iraqi expatriate communities. Voting was also being held in more than a dozen other countries around the world, from Australia to the United States.

The United Nations refugee agency estimates that around 2 million Iraqis are living abroad — the majority of whom fled violence following the 2003 US-led invasion. Voting abroad will be held for three days, while in Iraq most voters go to the polls on
Sunday, choosing a 325-seat legislature.

The largest bloc in parliament will try to put together a government to lead Iraq for four key years as US troops withdraw.

In Jordan, a Sunni tribal leader from the western Iraqi province of Anbar, Sa'ad Al Hardan, warned that after the Americans leave, Iran will try to dominate Iraq — a common fear among Sunnis because of the deep ties between Iraqi Shiite parties and Tehran.

"The US occupation will end, but the Iranian one is there to stay. The Iranian influence is significant in parliament and in the government," he said.

Many of those voting in Jordan said they wanted liberal and secular politicians to take over from Shiite Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, who many Sunnis accuse of isolating them and giving Iran the upper hand in Iraq.