Turkish daily: Iraq's anti-corruption drive tests whether arrests translate into structural reform

WASHINGTON, United States — A Turkish daily’s analysis, relayed to Shafaq News, says a series of raids and detentions of senior Iraqi officials signal a more determined approach to tackling corruption in the country. It notes that security forces uncovered one of the largest graft networks in recent years, weeks after Prime Minister Ali al-Zaydi’s government took office, and asks whether his campaign will yield results where earlier initiatives fell short. The analysis argues that lasting progress depends on successful prosecutions, the recovery of stolen public funds and structural reforms to improve transparency and accountability. It traces the roots of Iraq’s corruption to the post-2003 power-sharing system, noting that the number of public employees grew from roughly 800,000 in 2003 to more than 3 million by 2015, with the wage bill accounting for over 44 percent of public spending. Previous reform efforts under Haider al-Abadi, Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani failed to produce durable change, the analysis says, pointing to the 2022 investigation into the $1.7 billion “theft of the century,” in which influential figures were not fully held to account despite significant arrests. Because some of those detained hold political clout and armed backing, the campaign will need firm support from domestic institutions and international partners, including the United States. The analysis adds that the drive could bolster the government’s credibility at home and abroad ahead of al-Zaydi’s expected visit to Washington later this month.