The most important advice for Iraq's political elite is to remain focused on the country's priorities. It would be catastrophic for the leaders in a country torn apart — with large swathes of it controlled by terrorist groups and citizens facing existential challenges and extermination — to have misplaced priorities. The backstage political disputes surrounding the formation of a new government, however, leads one to believe that the parties, coalitions and political figures are oblivious to the facts on the ground.

Negotiations over the government are being conducted according to the same calculations when forming previous governments. The Shiites are arguing over the parties' share of government posts, while the Sunni powers are raising the ceiling on their demands, insisting on 18 requirements to participate in the government. They are fighting over positions and privileges as well. Meanwhile, the Kurds have linked a new government to a set of existing demands revolving around the resolution of historical conflicts with Baghdad, the disputed areas and the export of oil.

In fact, many of the demands are logical and reflect the essence of the Iraqi crisis that has been ongoing for years over the rights and competences of the governorates and regions, relations between local powers, control of security and military forces (including the fate of militias), in addition to the legacies of the past and the challenges of the present. Permanent solutions to Iraq's crises cannot, however, be put forward because they require comprehensive and genuine consensus on a political program for the government and parliament.

Falling again into the trap of believing that an almighty prime minister making all the decisions can solve the country's problems indicates that Iraqi authorities have not carefully analyzed the dysfunction that has led to the crises under the last two governments. The dysfunction relates in general to the inability of the political powers to provide solutions whether through the parliament or government.