Iraqi Prime Minister: How to Fix My Country

After enduring years of violent dictatorship, American occupation, and tribal warfare, Iraq is finally on track to become a shining example of democracy in the Middle East—or so says the country’s prime minister. Writing in The Washington Post, Nuri al-Maliki lays out a cautiously optimistic outline for how to fix Iraq. The plans—some of them already underway—include building homes for the poor, improving culture and scientific innovation, and expanding the power of the provinces to appease the various political parties. But al-Maliki warns that it will still be an uphill battle: “The struggle for reconstruction is no less daunting than the struggle for security.”