UN Envoy Warns Iraq Streets About to ‘Boil Over’ From Political Deadlock

Political factions show unwillingness to compromise

UN Special Envoy to Iraq Jeannine Hennis-Passchaert is warning that the continued impasse in forming a government from the October 10 election is raising public anger, and that the streets are “about to boil over.”

The concern is that provision of services isn’t great right now in Iraq, and in many cases this isn’t getting addressed because the lame duck government is continuing to coast along waiting for a government to form.

The public is holding out for an end to “pervasive corruption,” and a sign that some factions will show a willingness to compromise, something that so far just isn’t happening.

That’s the real problem here, that nothing is happening. Hopes of moving beyond this situation keep getting put off in favor of more debates, and no deals actually get made.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.