How Iraq is ruled

"It was the latest in a series of actions by the government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki that have infuriated his political opponents, while raising doubts about the strength of the country’s laws and democratic institutions." How Russia Is Ruled was the title of a classic book on the USSR by the Harvard expert, Merle Fainsod. (It was later revised by Jerry Hough, in a better edition). We need a book on Iraq now: and the book will basically conclude that Iraq is ruled by the Grand (not really) Ayatullah Sistani, the American occupation and the Kurdish armed gangs of Barazani and Talabni up north. The rest are details. I see the name of Anthony Shadid on this article, and I expect something more intelligent than a reference to "the country's laws and democratic institutions". One US soldier in Iraq can subvert at will any of the laws and can abort any of the "institutions."