Iraq parliament's anti-corruption measures criticized as 'compromise'

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's parliament issued anti-corruption directives earlier this month, but the measures have drawn criticism from some quarters as a compromise that stops short of addressing the full scope of the problem. While parts of the public welcomed the arrests of several corruption suspects, observers say little progress has been made on recovering stolen public funds, and only the visible portion of a case known as "the Heist of the Century" has been addressed. Critics argue that the campaign should not be limited to a few names and that Iraq's power-sharing political system itself creates the conditions for corruption. They have called for a new constitution and an updated political parties law, along with measures to trace and return assets and investments built with proceeds from graft. Public sentiment, according to the assessments, favors deterrent penalties, strict oversight and moral awareness-raising to tackle corruption at its roots. Observers said the campaign needs continuity and structural reform of the political system to be effective.