IraqWhile President Bush took a majority of the popular vote in the US election and seemed destined for victory, ordinary Iraqis said they were too busy trying to stay alive to worry about who would be the next US leader.
"We are too busy with our own problems, these explosions, this lack of stability, these saboteurs, to be bothered about the election of this person or that," said Georges Butros, a grandfather sitting outside his grocery shop in Baghdad.
"You can never tell what politicians are really like until they're in office anyway."
Violence surged again in Iraq as the world awaited the final outcome of the polls in the US.
"US policy will not change, whether Bush or Kerry is in the White House, so it's all the same to us," said Raad Fadel, sitting in a shop selling musical instruments in Baghdad.
"Will Kerry turn occupation into liberation? No. Has Bush kept his promises? No. Whoever wins we will be at their mercy."
With more than 1,100 US soldiers killed in Iraq since the start of the war and more than 138,000 US troops now deployed there, Iraq has been a divisive campaign issue.
Kerry has accused Bush of mishandling policy on Iraq and pledged to reach out more to Washington's allies.
"They are fighting for the presidency of America but all I care about is what the winner will do for my country," said Mustafa Nouri (50), a merchant from Basra in the far south.
"I support whoever will pull the American troops out of Iraq."
While many Iraqis are grateful to the United States for getting rid of Saddam, they complain crime is so high they can no longer go out at night, while power cuts persist.
Even Iraqis who took an interest in the election said they did not expect endless bombings, abductions and killings to stop any time soon whoever wins the race to the White House. "For us as Iraqi people, we suffered a lot and we are still suffering," said Adnan Nicholas (38).
"What we want from this election is that the winner delivers for the Iraqis and puts an end to the suffering."
Baghdad carpet-shop owner Marwan Mohammed also said US policy would not change whatever the result.
"But I'm rooting for Bush because he's the only one who got rid of Saddam."
Ibrahim Khalil, who dropped in from his own carpet shop next door disagreed: "They are all the same but I'd prefer Kerry because it's good to vary the flavour."
But some Iraqis said they were more concerned with what they hope will be Iraqi's first free elections in decades, scheduled for January but threatened by violence.
"We have realised from experience that US policy does not change with presidents," said Hashem Yousef, a beekeeper from Basra. "What I care about is elections in my own country."