Iraq riots as well....how's that surge working out?

[robdogbucky]

Demonstrations Turn Violent in Iraq

"BAGHDAD — Demonstrations turned violent across Iraq on Friday, as protesters burned buildings and security forces fired on the crowds.

Thousands of Iraqis demanding better government services took to the streets in at least 10 cities, from Basra in the south to Mosul in the north, despite attempts by the government and by top Shiite leaders to head off the protests .

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki made a televised speech on Thursday urging Iraqis not to gather, warning that insurgents would use the opportunity to carry out attacks. Security officials in Baghdad banned all cars from the streets until further notice.

The constellation of rallies, modeled after the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, brought together a chorus of anger and frustration over government corruption, instability and shoddy public services. Unlike protesters elsewhere in the region, though, the crowds in Iraq did not call for an entirely new form of government..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/world/middleeast/26iraq.html


Iraq LiveBlog: Thousands Protest Against Al-Maliki's Government

"1405 GMT: Raed Jarrar, an analyst based in Washington, is reporting that "Iraqi authorities shut down universities in Erbil, Basrah and other Iraqi cities as of today in anticipation to nation-wide protests."

1105 GMT: Sammy Ketz summarised the protests so far in Iraq for AFP:

Protesters in the capital were forced to walk to the rally site as security forces imposed a vehicle ban, a day after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki claimed the demonstrations were being organised by Al-Qaeda insurgents and loyalists of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein.


Though most of the protests were largely peaceful, clashes between security forces and demonstrators at rallies in the northern city of Mosul and the town of Hawija left seven dead and dozens wounded, while separate rallies in north and west Iraq left a total of eight others injured..."

http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2011/2/25/iraq-liveblog-thousands-protest-against-al-malikis-governmen.html#


Quite a few Iraqi cities spontaneously erupting. Maybe they will feel their solidarity and power, eh? And of course the "government," has started to blame this on Saddam's Baathist Party members. Wow, now that is a spin. Do the people of Iraq now have to worry the US mercenaries will start opening fire on crowds? Will the US military and mercenary forces be able to contain this? What if the people pull this off and get the US to leave?

Miracles happen every day.



Dear SOS Clinton and President Obama:

Thanks for nothing

The People of Iraq

[jaxx]

1. What is it you're wanting?

Do you want us to stay there forever?

[el_bryanto]

2. I think the point is that the US should withdraw and should have withdrawn long since

We should get out because the Iraqi people obviously don't want us there.

I don't agree with his assertions on the Surge, nor am i sure this is the game changer he pretends it to be, but that does seem to be his point.

Bryant

[jaxx]

3. We might have been out earlier if it wasn't for dubya's SOFA

agreement. As it is, we are out Dec. 2011. The surge was years ago, we have 50k troops left there....the OP is misleading. Iraq is not stable, I thought we all knew that. The option is to stay or go....I vote go when planned. Never mind we'll have thousands keeping the white elephant of an embassy safe.

[robdogbucky]

4. "A good life like human beings"

"...We want a good life like human beings, not like animals," said Khalil Ibrahim, a protester in Baghdad.

Recent protests

Like many Iraqis, he railed against a government that locks itself in the highly fortified Green Zone, home to the parliament and the US. embassy, and is viewed by most of its citizens as more interested in personal gain than public service.

"The government of the Green Zone is terrified of the people's voice,'' he said.

Iraq has seen a number of small-scale protests across the country in recent weeks. While most have been peaceful, a few have turned violent and at least seven people have been killed..."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011224192028229471.html#



The Revolution will not be televised but it will be on Twitter