What's that on your finger?

A Kurdish friend of mine is in Amman right now ... he's been here waiting to vote in the Iraqi elections. Today was the first day of elections outside the country ... the vote, here in Amman atleast, will extend for three days but (an I'm not sure of my details here) it wont occur in Iraq until Monday, Jan 30th. When the Iraqis vote at the polls, they make them put their index finger in a pot of ink that stains your finger and is supposed to last several days (that way they know you have voted and there isn't any double voting).

Here in Amman, there are many Iraqis ... most came here to get away from the violence in Iraq. Some friends went out on the street and asked Iraqis who they were voting for. Many who they spoke with were planning to vote for Iyad Allawi's list ... which is essentially a vote for the interim government that Iraq has right now. It will be interesting to see what comes of all this ... but the acid test will be at the polls in Iraq.