There comes a time when we must pause and re-evaluate all that has transpired. Iraq, in its entirety has been transformed into a ballot box. There remain no moral or human deterrents that prevent the conversion of Iraqi life into an electoral issue, into a win or a loss, a victory or a defeat.

But wait — this is no democracy. Nations possess rules and historic moral frameworks that prevent them from gambling with the security, future, unity and harmony of their societies. In Iraq, however, things are completely different. Daily scenes of bloodshed, destruction and threats to people’s lives leave no doubt that the ongoing events all figure into mere electoral gambling.

Contenders in Iraq are not competing for the chairmanship of the country’s board of directors. In reality, they hope to hijack it in its entirety, making elections an existential threat that threaten to blow up in the faces of everyone.

This characterization might seem perplexing, unless we come to understand that the Iraqi state still lacks the majority of necessary regulations to  govern its functions. It must also be understood that it is still deficient in political, constitutional and partisan traditions and that is has not yet emerged from the shadow of a deep-rooted dictatorial legacy. It has failed for the last 10 years to transform elections into a competition bound by even a modicum of honor.