The election, for local-level officials, will be a test of the strength of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's political bloc as well as the ability of security forces to keep the country safe.

NPR: Iraq Attacks Kill 36 Less Than A Week Before Vote

One lesson I think we've learned is that by taking on al-Qaeda in South Waziristan, we have diminished their strength, we have dispersed their organisation, their training camps are far more limited.

BBC: Take your politics too seriously

His triumphal progress with al-Aqsa fighters in Gaza this week was both a show of strength and a reminder of potential weakness: they were of a branch loyal to Muhammad Dahlan, the Gaza security chief who is one of Mr Abbas's staunch backers, and thus one of his chief props.

ECONOMIST: Palestine's election