10月17日，伊拉克47个宗教和政治团体发表联合声明，抵制明年1月的大选，以抗议美伊军队在纳杰夫、卡尔巴拉、萨迈拉、萨德尔城等地过度使用武力，尤其是在费卢杰的血腥屠杀。声明称即将举行的大选是“占领状态下的一种宣传手腕”，将无法真实表达伊拉克人民的心声，无法做到“公正自由”。新华社报道如下：47 Iraqi political and religious parties have decided¹ to boycott² the general elections due in January in protest against the extended use of force throughout the country, a joint³ statement said on Wednesday.

The reason for the move was "the (US-Iraqi) assaults in cities like Najaf, Karbala, Samarra, Sadr City, Adhmiya, and especially the genocide crimes in Fallujah," said the statement obtained by Xinhua.

"These crimes prevent us from taking part in the political process going on under the control of occupation forces," added the statement, signed by the parties and groups, mainly Sunni factions⁴ led by the Muslim Clerics Association.

Sunni是伊斯兰教的逊尼派穆斯林教徒，认为前四个哈里发是穆罕默德的合法继承人。在伊拉克，逊尼派穆斯林的地位举足轻重。自从1920年伊拉克建国以来，逊尼派就占据着伊拉克政界的大部分职位。

据悉，此次联合抵制行动由逊尼派权威组织穆斯林长老会牵头，参与者包括什叶派知名教长的宗教组织、反战团体和公益运动组织等。11月9日，由伊拉克逊尼派穆斯林组建的伊斯兰党宣布，为抗议伊临时政府对费卢杰的强硬政策，该党已决定退出伊临时政府。