When the Iraqi minister of state for tourism and archaeology affairs, Hashem al-Hashemy, was appointed acting oil minister last week, it was met by a collective shrug of the shoulders.

The sense of resignation, from the public and some politicians, could be because Mr Hashemy will hold the oil portfolio - where security and infrastructure problems have caused petroleum production to drop sharply in recent months - only until the formation of a new cabinet in the next few months. Or it could be that this case provides a perfect example of an inherent problem dogging Iraqi politics.