You loot Iraq, I'm silent, I loot Kurdistan, you're silent

We and the Gulf Countries

Sherzad Shekhani | Exclusive to iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene

There is no doubt that both the Kurdistan Region and the Baghdad government have become deeply trapped in the swamp of corruption.

I believe there is some kind of agreement between them. Even if they are not direct partners in sharing the gains, both sides turn a blind eye to each other’s actions.

In other words, “You plunder Iraq’s wealth, and I will not speak out; I will plunder Kurdistan’s wealth, and you remain silent.” Clearly, this is why the level of corruption on both sides has continued to rise at a similar rate to this day.

Regarding the plundering of Iraq’s wealth, where the anti-corruption campaign is still in its early stages, it has become clear that around two trillion dollars of Iraq’s money has been stolen. This is only the beginning of one corruption case, and tens of trillions of dollars more may be uncovered if the process continues.

The economic situation of the people of Iraq has collapsed to such an extent that most Iraqi cities are suffering from the destruction of economic infrastructure and public services, despite all the country’s wealth and resources.

Nechirvan Barzani with Massoud Barzani and Masrour Barzani — Tribal leader Massoud Barzani (center) with his son, Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right), and his nephew, Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani, on May 12, 2023. Photo: Barzani’s press office/via ikurd.net.

In many places, we have seen Iraqi children sitting on concrete blocks in their schools. The streets of cities become overwhelmed by destructive flooding after rainfall, and the condition of hospitals is extremely poor.

Here, Iraqi citizens have the right to ask: Where did all those trillions of dollars in national income go? How did it end up in the pockets of a few individuals while the people were deprived of it?

In our own region, the situation of Kurdistan’s citizens is not only disastrous; they are not even guaranteed a monthly salary despite all the taxes and fees collected from them. Electricity is expensive, gasoline is expensive, water is expensive, taxes are high, and now salary cuts and non-payment of salaries have been added to the burden.

The Gulf countries, as a whole, have used their national revenues to serve their own people. For example, in the United Arab Emirates, late Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan transformed a barren desert into a major commercial and tourism country that attracts 20 million people from around the world every year.

In Qatar, every citizen receives $3,000 per month even if they do not work, and healthcare, water, and electricity services are provided free of charge. Kuwait has already saved $300 billion under the name of the “Future Generations Fund,” investing it around the world so that its capital can continue to grow.

Saudi Arabia is moving toward a historic transformation, gradually shifting from being a source that spread old Salafi and Takfiri ideology to a country more similar to European nations, while launching dozens and hundreds of tourism projects.

The citizens of the Kurdistan Region also have the right to ask where our prosperity is, despite all the wealth and resources we have.

Why should the son of an official own billions of dollars, while a retiree is not considered worthy of receiving a salary? Why should the children of officials own millions of square meters of land, while an ordinary citizen does not even have fifty square meters to provide a home for their children?

Why does the Kurdistan Region export millions of barrels of oil but not provide even one barrel of winter heating oil to its own citizens?

Why does the government have billions of dollars in annual revenue, yet its Ministry of Finance cannot provide 120 billion dinars to send to Baghdad for the payment of employee and retiree salaries?

If we, the citizens of Kurdistan, had a guaranteed standard of living like the people of the Gulf countries and could see with our own eyes that our government truly cared about our welfare, then perhaps we would also overlook the theft and corruption of officials.

Barzani family house in U.S. Location: Beverly Hills, Calif.Price: $47 million Size: 20,829 square feet and 11,838 square feet. Photo: dirt.com

We would even wish that their sons and grandchildren, instead of only buying multimillion-dollar horses, Cadillacs, and Range Rovers, would also, like the Gulf princes, buy European sports clubs.

The crime here is that they have taken everything from us and still begrudge us even a piece of bread.

This injustice has made people angry with this authority. That is why they are all waiting for the day when handcuffs are placed on the hands of Kurdistan Region officials, just as they were placed on some Baghdad officials, so that they too become a disgrace in this world and the next.

What is the value of an autonomous entity if this is the result it produces?

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on July 15, 2026.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.