Will the New Year Bring a New Reality to Iraq?

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The final election results might not be official for two weeks, but Iraqi politicians already are making deals as they work to form a new government. One Sunni group is bargaining with Shiites and Kurds, cutting out other Sunnis and America's secular favorite, Iyad Allawi. Meantime, current Iraqi officials say a US air strike killed 12 family members, including two children. Is this the recipe for a stable democracy or a prelude to civil war? Will Iraq's neighbors begin to get in on the action? Will the latest developments advance the draw down of American forces or will they mean more delay? Warren Olney speaks with reporters in Baghdad, historians and national security experts.Making News: Abramoff Pleads Guilty in a Deal with Federal ProsecutorsLobbyist Jack Abramoff has pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. That's in exchange for testimony that could involve as many as 20 members of Congress and their aides. Karen Tumulty, who reports on politics for Time magazine, has more on what Abramoff's plea could mean for congressmen implicated in his actions.Reporter's Notebook: Coal Mine Explosion in West VirginiaAs yet, there is no good news from Tallmansville, West Virginia, where 13 coal miners remain trapped after yesterday's explosion in a mineshaft. They remain 260 feet under ground, and rescuers have not established any communication. As rescue workers try to reach the stranded miners, nearby businesses have donated food and other supplies. Bruce Dial spent 25 years as an inspector for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
The final election results might not be official for two weeks, but Iraqi politicians already are making deals as they work to form a new government. One Sunni group is bargaining with Shiites and Kurds, cutting out other Sunnis and America's secular favorite, Iyad Allawi. Meantime, current Iraqi officials say a US air strike killed 12 family members, including two children. Is this the recipe for a stable democracy or a prelude to civil war? Will Iraq's neighbors begin to get in on the action? Will the latest developments advance the draw down of American forces or will they mean more delay? Warren Olney speaks with reporters in Baghdad, historians and national security experts.
  • Making News: Abramoff Pleads Guilty in a Deal with Federal ProsecutorsLobbyist Jack Abramoff has pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion. That's in exchange for testimony that could involve as many as 20 members of Congress and their aides. Karen Tumulty, who reports on politics for Time magazine, has more on what Abramoff's plea could mean for congressmen implicated in his actions.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Coal Mine Explosion in West Virginia
    As yet, there is no good news from Tallmansville, West Virginia, where 13 coal miners remain trapped after yesterday's explosion in a mineshaft. They remain 260 feet under ground, and rescuers have not established any communication. As rescue workers try to reach the stranded miners, nearby businesses have donated food and other supplies. Bruce Dial spent 25 years as an inspector for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Tumulty's article on plea deal by Abramoff's partner, Michael Scanlon

Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq

League of Arab States

Daragahi's article on possible coalition deal that may exlude Iyad Allawi

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Warren Olney