We're but days away from a historic election not only for Iraqis, but also for the future of American foreign policy.

We are already seeing Iraqi expats mailing off absentee ballots from places like Austrlia, Syria and Denmark. In so many ways, the world is focused on this one event - helping ordinary Iraqis - everywhere - vote.

Private security guards frisked people entering the polling center in Syria, X-ray machines and metal detectors were deployed in Australia, and in the Copenhagen suburb of Taastrup (search), heavily armed police checked voters as they wound their way through concrete blocs set up on the road leading to Denmark's only polling station.

We are hearing that local candidates tried to keep their names secret for fear of assassination, but in the end finding out Democracy doesn't work that way. Yeah, it's a horrible scenario to imagine, but a great test of our time.

What I find odd is that this is in some ways no different than when Americans go to the polling stations and find unrecognizable names for District Leader and Dog Catcher. While not quite the same, it does reflect another reality of politics. Parties rule.

Many Iraqis say the name secrecy is not that significant: They know whom the main lists represent because of the top candidates' political, religious and ethnic backgrounds.

In a polling station on Sunday, a voter will be able to choose only once from among the various lists, essentially voting for all the candidates on one list. The number of candidates on each list who are elected depends on the percentage of votes their ticket receives overall.

News coverage has shifted from death and despair to hope and promise. Yet the coming election is not without its absurdity, making this writer feel that things will be OK.