There have been demonstrations and protests against repression and corruption by the Barazani police state but that has not gotten any coverage in the US press. Thomas Friedman and other silly US commentators have basically provided an image of a glorious oasis of democracy and transparency in Iraqi Kurdistan and partly due to the links between the Barazani faction and Israel. Friedman receives regular fancy invitations to Sulaymaniyah and returns with glowing few days impressions about the place. The other day, the wife of Jalal Talbani called Barazani "another Saddam".