In Iraqi Elections, Mercurial Shiite Cleric Strengthens Power.

The article discusses that Followers of a Shiite cleric whose fighters battled U.S. forces during the occupation made the biggest gains in Iraq's parliamentary election, strengthening his hand in determining whether the country drifts further out of the American orbit. It mentions that the outcome could funher complicate Iraq's challenge in steering diplomatically between the United States and Iran, adversaries that both see Iraq as vital to their interests.