Whatever happening in Iraq at this point in time presents, among other things, a sardonic comment on woefully poor governance which is strongly characterized by rising corruption and absence of meritocracy.

According to media reports, owing to growing unrest the Iraqi army has imposed an overnight curfew in the capital as students and schoolchildren joined spreading protests to demand an overhaul of the government. These reports also said that swathes of Iraq have been engulfed by demonstrations over unemployment and corruption this month that have evolved into demands for regime change.

That today's Iraq is vastly different from Saddam Husein's Iraq is an undeniable reality, although elections after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 have shown the limitations of Iraq's democracy. Things will calm down steadily and gradually. Prime minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi is required to take all appropriate steps aimed at addressing people's grievances.