The latest results from Iraq's March 7 election show former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi surpassing current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, potentially leading to prolonged political negotiations and a dangerous power vacuum. These results, which contradict earlier counts where Maliki was leading, were revealed amidst twin bomb attacks in Mussayab that killed eight people. The bombings highlighted Iraq's vulnerability as it faces the possibility of significant political change and the withdrawal of US troops. These recent attacks, following a car bombing in Anbar province that killed seven, raise concerns about Iraq's security amidst anticipated lengthy and contentious discussions among politicians to form a new government. Allawi's slight lead over Maliki's predominantly Shi'ite State of Law bloc, which is dominant in seven provinces but lacks support in Sunni regions, underscores Iraq's division following years of sectarian conflict. Allawi, a secular Shi'ite leader whose multi-sectarian, secular Iraqiya list is currently leading in five provinces, has garnered support from Sunni minorities looking to regain their lost influence since Saddam Hussein's rule ended in 2003. With 80 percent of approximately 12 million votes counted, there is only a narrow margin of about 9,000 votes between Maliki's coalition and Allawi's. It may take weeks to get final results. One of the blocs is likely to form an alliance with the largely Shi'ite Iraqi National Alliance (INA) or with the Kurdish parties that dominate the Kurdish north. While Maliki, known for his efforts to prevent civil war in Iraq, has significant support, supporters of Allawi, a sophisticated physician critical of the Shi'ite religious parties that have controlled Iraq since 2003, are feeling confident. Thaer al-Naqeeb, a close associate of Allawi, expressed confidence that Allawi would ultimately be shown to be ahead of Maliki in the final election results, despite Maliki currently leading in Baghdad, which has the most seats in Iraq's parliament. He questioned how Maliki could surpass them, stating the results are very close and favorable for their team. Joost Hiltermann, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, warned that defeat may not be accepted gracefully in a post-election environment already marred by fraud allegations. He emphasized that the outcome is still uncertain, and the losing party may try to challenge the winner after the votes are counted. How Iraq can create a government that is acceptable to rival leaders like Maliki and Allawi, as well as other factions in the country, will be crucial for maintaining security as the US plans to withdraw by the end of 2011. The leading alliance in three Kurdish provinces is made up of the two main Kurdish parties, while Allawi's bloc is slightly ahead in Kirkuk, a province with significant oil reserves that is at the center of tensions between Arabs and Kurds. Toby Dodge, an expert on Iraq at the University of London, suggested that Iran's influence could play a key role in forming a new government alliance involving Maliki, the INA, and the Kurds. He mentioned that this could be seen as a revival of the coalition that governed Iraq poorly from 2006 to 2010. The Iranian government, wanting a Shi'ite representative to lead Iraq, commended the elections. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast stated that all international monitoring has verified the legitimacy of the Iraqi elections, calling it a success and congratulating the Iraqi people.