As Iraqis and American officials assess the effects of this year’s American troop increase, there is a growing sense that, even as security has improved, Iraq has slipped to new depths of lawlessness.
Theft and corruption have become survival tools, creating a spiral of dishonest transactions that leave nearly everyone feeling dirty.
“No one can stop it,” Abu Ali said. “Corruption runs from top to bottom.”
“The size of the corruption exceeds the imagination,” said Shatha Munthir Abdul Razzaq, a member of Parliament’s largest Sunni bloc.
You have to pay a bribe to join the police. This is not just some ill-qualified people trying to improve their chances. Everyone has to pay.
