I am amazed that this article made it onto Reuters/Yahoo's World news feed. Perhaps it does so because it is able to point out just how many problems there are in Iraq.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Already battered by an insurgency, Iraq's government faced a barrage of questions in parliament on Monday on everything from the fate of billions of dollars in donor pledges to garbage collection.
Reading long lists of complaints, National Assembly members were often cut short by the deputy speaker because they were taking too long to air grievances in the session televised live.
Yet I can't think of another country in the region (except Israel or Turkey) where MPs (or equivalent) would be willing to make such complaints of the government on behalf of their constituents, nor where, if they did so it would be broadcast on live TV.
The fact that Reuters doesn't even seem to see the irony here is an indication of just how far Iraq has progressed in the year since the coalition handed over control. The fact that Parliament is willing to air gripes is even more healthy because it indicates just how normal the country is becoming despite everything the "activists"terrorists are trying to do to destablilize the place.