“They don’t seem to be able to rise above these things.”

I think the Shiites want a theocracy.

Everybody seems to be imprisoned in their own sectarian or political affiliations.

I think people are rapidly losing confidence in the political class, and I don’t blame them.

This country won’t be able to function properly.

If the security forces continue to be dominated as they are now by political groups or sects

This contest between the secular and religious visions of government is really the main choice to be made

I think that would have been useful and it would have helped to some extent.

Until and unless we could disband these militias

Then the people won’t trust in them – and the result will be civil war or fragmentation of the country.

An apology for the actions of some troops who, of course, are not representative of the majority of the armed forces here,

It won’t be decided in one election, but it is a basic choice between an open and progressive Iraq and one that is backward and continues to fall behind.

It won’t be a question of how well-trained or well-equipped the army is but one of the authority it serves.