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Five years on following the invasion, Iraq should by now have achieved the basic institutional structures that would pave the way for a democratic nation state. It is unfortunate that the country's state of affairs is still characterised by violence and disintegration.
Overall, it should be noted though, the sectarian bloodshed that has devastated the country since 2006 has seen a decrease recently. "The [sectarian] violence is much lower. There is no question about it. We are seeing among Iraqis a feeling of tiredness," said Staffan de Mistura, special representative in Iraq of the UN Secretary-General. There is no doubt there is a positive aspect in all this and that is that the extremism in violence is no longer taking place with the same intensity or frequency.
But what is missing is a level of national reconciliation that all Iraqi leaders can agree on. It is surely disappointing to see that the violence has decreased not as part of a bigger process of building the country, but as a result of people's exhaustion in resorting to violence. Having fewer people killed and injured is welcome but by no means should it be the sole goal when nation building.
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