What do Iraqis want from their leaders?
What do Iraqis look for in a leader? Unsurprisingly, security, low corruption and development top many people's lists.
In a popular cafe in the jewelry souk (market) in central Babel (100 kilometers, or about 62 miles south of Baghdad), which is visited by all sorts of workers, the walls are filled with pictures of political events and Iraqi leaders.
When the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ruled, Abu Muneer, the owner of the cafe, was forced to post the leader’s picture, just like many other Iraqis.
In 2003, when the United States overthrew the Iraqi leader, his picture completely disappeared from Iraq and was replaced with images of new leaders.
On Aug. 14, Abu Muneer told Al-Monitor, “The new leaders did not force their pictures on the people.” Yet, one day, he decided to hang the picture of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is now going to be replaced. Now, however, that Haider al-Abadi has been designated to form the government, Abu Muneer is uncertain as to whether he will hang Abadi's picture on the wall or not. Muneer said, “The pictures, debates and meetings that took place during the designation of the prime minister, since the end of the elections on April 30, are no longer interesting for the citizen.”
