In an apparent bid to deflate a major protest planned for Friday, the head of Baghdad's provincial council on Tuesday promised to fire corrupt and inept officials, while Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that he was personally overseeing the availability of sugar and other items provided to the poor.
“We have listened to the demonstrators,” said provincial leader Kamal al-Zaidy, after meeting with council members and parliamentarians to address a lack of government services. “There are some departments whose performance is decreasing in a way that would make the Baghdad provincial council be ready to take essential decisions to fire executive staff.”
Iraqis inspired by protests sweeping the Arab world have been airing their grievances in the street almost every day. Much of their anger is directed at officials they blame for electricity cuts, lack of jobs, and lack of government services in a country believed to have the world’s second-largest oil reserves.
I say timely because these protests aren't attacking the legitimacy of the government, but how they run the place. This is a big difference. Our biggest struggle in Iraq isn't the remnant terrorist but corruption and lack of rule of law. If these protests help us move Iraq forward on rule of law issues (assuming the Obama administration is committed to doing this and not declaring victory and walking away)
If the government can't reduce corruption to acceptable levels (Chicago level?), one day the protests might demand regime change outside of elections the way other Arabs are doing in other countries.
