The architect of Iraq’s destruction |
The reintroduction of Nouri al-Maliki as Iraq’s prime ministerial candidate is not just a symbolic setback; it is a pathological symptom of the system itself. Politically, Maliki has long since become irrelevant, yet failing systems do not base their decisions on public approval; they base them on their ability to manage fear.
Maliki is not returning because he is strong; he is returning because he is perfect for a system in crisis, capable of controlling the situation without any surprises.
Failed systems rarely seek the living; they summon the dead who are fit for reuse. In Iraq, figures are not chosen for their competence, but for their ability to faithfully embody ruin. In this sense, Maliki is not a choice; he is shorthand: shorthand for short memories, shorthand for fear, shorthand for a system that can only govern by invoking its worst self.
Since 2003, Iraq has not followed a political trajectory; it has been a series of failed loans from the future. Every government labelled ‘transitional’ has invariably led to worse outcomes.
The world knows Maliki well; Iraqis know him better. He has transformed sectarianism from a mere electoral tool into a method of governance, from populist speeches to security apparatuses and from social fear to secret prisons. In this sense, Maliki was the architect of........