Despite Iraq's oil wealth, one fifth of the population live in poverty. It is a situation compounded by the corruption and violence that has consumed the country. As Majid Tofan, editor in chief of alMehda newspaper, explains, "Corruption is a huge problem in Iraq and many terror operations are financed by corruption." Both of these problems feed out of the ethnic struggles that still dominate the country. Worse still, it seems that Iran may be starting to flex its muscles amongst the Shiite minority, now that the US troops have gone. Something the US denies: "Iran certainly doesn't control events in Iraq more than any country does." What is certain is that Iraq is a country in deep trouble and there seems little hope among the people that the current political class can lift them out of it, "People do not trust the politicians".