IT is almost impossible the understand the venal behavior of those in Iraq who have accepted the job of rebuilding their shattered country. Nineveh province and its capital Mosul was the lair of Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) where the human suffering and infrastructural devastation was worse than anywhere else in Iraq. More than 40 percent of the 1.6 million internally displace Iraqis came from the province and still live in poverty and squalor.

It is therefore astonishing to learn that $10 million of international aid given to rebuild two of Mosul’s hospitals was stolen by Nineveh’s then governor, Nawfel Akoub. Another $50 million reconstruction funding also went missing. Now Akoub and four of his aides have vanished along with the money. Their disappearance came after an overloaded ferry that lacked virtually all official operating certificates sank in the Tigris, drowning more than 150 family members on their way to a picnic.

A dozen officials were arrested after this tragedy. Even though they had not inspected the ferry to ensure it complied with safety and operational rules, in return for bribes these bureaucrats still issued the necessary certificates for the vessel. That such minor officials were on the take should not be surprising, since they knew full well their political masters, including Akoub were even more grasping.

But their crime pales into insignificance beside the plundering of Akoub and his cronies. How could any man with even half a heart, not wish to use any funds he could gather to ease the misery of his fellow citizens? He might have filched a few thousand dollars, but to take it all shows this man is a heartless criminal who should never have been appointed to such a key position. He would steal a coin from the hand of a blind beggar.

Unfortunately the Akoub case is only one of far too many are being investigated by the government’s Integrity Commission. Iraq’s oil wealth should be flowing strongly into the official programs to rebuild shattered roads and utilities, allow once-flourishing businesses to reestablish themselves and provide decent healthcare and education. While Baghdad has seen some improvements, tragically elsewhere in the country, this is not the case. Basra, the country’s major port, has seen extensive protests which have been put down harshly. The demonstrators have been demanding the restoration of clean water supplies and the reconnection of electricity. Some parts of the city are swimming in sewage and vermin feed on mountains of uncleared rubbish.

Large sums of money have been allocated by the government to get this city back up and running. Where has this cash gone? It certainly has not been spent on the projects for which it is designed. Blatant graft, massive incompetence and an astonishingly uncaring attitude by the local government have left citizens rightly furious at their wretched conditions.

But maybe there is more to this disaster than greedy political leaders and useless, lazy officials. The ayatollahs in Tehran certainly welcome and doubtless also encourage this massive, blatant graft. They want the country to remain dislocated and dysfunctional for as long as possible. They do not want the people to trust their elected politicians. They would rather real power is wielded by the undisciplined militias they have funded. Iran has zero interest in seeing a prosperous and stable Iraqi neighbor.