Not for the first time, thousands of people in Iraq staged protests in five provinces including Baghdad on 9th February against political corruption.
Though in 2016, the United Nations and the Iraqi government had signed an agreement to help authorities in Baghdad investigate and fight corruption, nothing has materialized to date, even with the public commitments and promises that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had made to tackle corrupt politicians and practices. He could easily start by cracking down on the person in the mirror–that would be an instant and quick win.
Corruption has been the norm for Iraq, as it has been for the entire Middle East region. It was corrupt under Saddam as it is corrupt today. The only difference has been that in the past it was a controlled corruption managed by a brutal dictator. But since its deceptive ‘liberation,’ Iraq has experienced uncontrolled corruption–reflected in nepotism, regional discrimination and a system that has failed to secure even the basics for its citizens.
It is naïve for the political elites in Iraq to consider that the United Nations will deliver a corruption-free solution, given that it is run by those nations that actively have sought to divide, weaken, exploit and install their own government to manage Iraq.
Likewise, it is naïve for the people of Iraq to think that change can come from the existing political elites and parties, as they siphon the wealth of the people and were simply appointed to represent the interests of their western masters.
The change that is needed in Iraq is the change that is needed for the entire region. Though the people have separated themselves from the politicians–they need to establish their call for change upon Islam alone, for only through Islam can real change occur.
The people need to support the sincere sons and daughters that live amongst them, care for their welfare and work politically to establish the Khilafah upon the Prophetic method.
The people need to call the army to support this change to uproot corruption, both controlled and uncontrolled, by establishing and protecting the only legitimate political authority, leadership, and system–the Khilafah.
Only then will the corruption dissipate and the rights and needs of the people will be provided and secured.
