…and which resulted in no beheadings, beatings or imprisonments.

"A heated parliamentary debate on the U.S.-Iraq security treaty was called to an early close Wednesday as lawmakers loyal to anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr scuffled with security guards for the foreign minister and the speaker of the legislature and his two deputies.

The session was chaotic from the start, with lawmakers shouting at each other. Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani added to the din by repeatedly yelling at legislators to sit down or keep quiet, but failed to restore order."

Full story here.

Ah yes. More signs of a burgeoning, bickering and brawling democracy in the Middle East. A thing to behold, indeed.