Iraq is an oil rich country, but despite all that wealth, public services like hospitals

are failing.

There's corruption, political parties siphon off state funds for their own projects.

Two years ago, that all led to a massive protest movement across Iraq.

At least 40 people were killed and 2,000 injured in protests across the country on Friday.

The forces used live rounds and tear gas against demonstrators.

At those demonstrations, security forces and militias killed hundreds of people.

But the movement also led to some change.

It forced the country's prime minister out of office, and the government conceded to

hold a parliamentary election in October, months ahead of schedule.

That election provided a kind of snapshot of a democracy that the U.S. has invested in

for decades now, and that many Iraqis have fought desperately to improve.

It's very sad because my father and brother, it's here now killed.

Mustafa Rossi is a medic who spoke to NPR in Baghdad just before the election.

He said his father and brother were among those shot in the protests.

He was arrested and held for a week.

A better Iraq is worth people sacrificing themselves for, he said.

So what did those sacrifices accomplish?

Iraq's parliamentary election happened earlier this month, and turnout was a record low.

Some of the groups that called for that election in the first place ended up boycotting it.

This election, they will cheat, they will lose their money, they will have a corrupt

money of course.

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