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Iraqi politicians focus on buying, not convincing voters

Since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq's political scene has been more about infighting and vote-buying than the state's welfare.
An Iraqi walks past a provincial elections campaign poster in Baghdad, April 18, 2013. Iraq will hold its provincial elections on Saturday. The poster reads, "take care of Iraq". REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen (IRAQ - Tags: SOCIETY POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTXYQSM
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Our definition of the Iraqi state is vague. Is it based on a ruling sect or a ruling party? Is it a national or religious institution, or is it a state for all its citizens, as it is supposed to be? It's not as easy to answer this as one may expect. Iraq has never known the concept of citizenship for it to use it as a cognitive framework to define the state in the first place.

Iraqi citizens are seen by many political and partisan entities as “merchandise.” They are mere votes, ready to be sold in exchange for electoral money and cheap mattresses and heaters distributed prior to the elections. The price can even be a sectarian slogan, or it can involve a barter over the margin of security and freedom. It can be a photo of a candidate trying to open sewers in the streets by himself or offering food to participants in a religious event.

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