02-11-2017, 11:06 PM
*** 12-Feb-17 World View -- Iraq: Supporters of al-Sadr and al-Maliki turn again to violence in Baghdad
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Iraq: Supporters of al-Sadr and al-Maliki turn again to violence in Baghdad
****
![[Image: g170211b.jpg]](http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170211b.jpg)
Security forces stand guard as supporters of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr protest on Saturday. The protests turned violent later. (AFP)
Seven people were killed on Saturday during protests that turned
violent after thousands of people flooding into central Baghdad to
protest Iraq government corruption.
Several hours later, at least seven Katyusha rockets were launched
from northern Baghdad, landing in the heavily protected
Green Zone.
The huge protests were called by the powerful Shia cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr, whom some of you may remember as playing a highly contentious
role in the Iraq war ten years ago, challenging US forces with his
Mahdi militias. He's very closely linked to the clerics in Iran.
Al-Sadr's political enemy is former prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
He became prime minister in 2006 with America's help, and remained in
office for eight years. In 2008, al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi army to
clean out the city of Basra, the stronghold of al-Sadr's militias.
Some of you may remember al-Maliki as the person in charge when
President Obama withdrew all American forces from Iraq in December
2011. Al-Maliki's first action was to purge Sunnis from Iraq's
government.
Al-Maliki's reign was so destructive and divisive to Iraqi society
that he was forced out in 2014. The current prime minister is Haider
al-Abadi, who has been trying to bring the country together again, but
who is being charged by al-Sadr with corruption, and with supporting
the return of al-Maliki in elections scheduled for September. At the
same time, al-Abadi is head of the Iraqi army which is attempting to
recapture Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL
or Daesh).
The protests and violence between supporters of the al-Sadr and
al-Maliki are Shia versus Shia Muslim violence. That violence is
expected to increase as the September elections approach. But
one-third of Iraq's population are Sunni Muslims, and their role in
the September elections is still to be fully defined. Middle East Eye and BBC and
Washington Post
Related Articles
****
**** Iraq's army poised to begin Battle of Mosul in the west
****
Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi had hoped that the army, heavily
backed by US and coalition warplanes and logistics, would have
completed its recapture of Mosul from ISIS by the end of 2016, but the
battle is taking far longer than expected. According to Iraq's
government, east Mosul with a population of 500,000 has been taken and
cleared of ISIS fighters, and the army is now poised to begin a
decisive battle to retake western Mosul, with a population of 750,000.
The urban style fighting is extremely nasty. ISIS has laid
hundreds of booby-trapped explosive devices in buildings throughout
the city. The ISIS fighters move around in tunnel systems
that have been built in preparation for this battle.
The government now estimates that the Battle of Mosul will take about
two more months. Air Force Times and CBS News and Washington Post (13-Jan)
Related Stories
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Iraq, Iran, Muqtada al-Sadr,
Nouri Al-Maliki, Haider al-Abadi, Baghdad, Mosul,
Islamic State / of Iraq and Syria/Sham/the Levant, IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Iraq: Supporters of al-Sadr and al-Maliki turn again to violence in Baghdad
- Iraq's army poised to begin Battle of Mosul in the west
****
**** Iraq: Supporters of al-Sadr and al-Maliki turn again to violence in Baghdad
****
Security forces stand guard as supporters of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr protest on Saturday. The protests turned violent later. (AFP)
Seven people were killed on Saturday during protests that turned
violent after thousands of people flooding into central Baghdad to
protest Iraq government corruption.
Several hours later, at least seven Katyusha rockets were launched
from northern Baghdad, landing in the heavily protected
Green Zone.
The huge protests were called by the powerful Shia cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr, whom some of you may remember as playing a highly contentious
role in the Iraq war ten years ago, challenging US forces with his
Mahdi militias. He's very closely linked to the clerics in Iran.
Al-Sadr's political enemy is former prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki.
He became prime minister in 2006 with America's help, and remained in
office for eight years. In 2008, al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi army to
clean out the city of Basra, the stronghold of al-Sadr's militias.
Some of you may remember al-Maliki as the person in charge when
President Obama withdrew all American forces from Iraq in December
2011. Al-Maliki's first action was to purge Sunnis from Iraq's
government.
Al-Maliki's reign was so destructive and divisive to Iraqi society
that he was forced out in 2014. The current prime minister is Haider
al-Abadi, who has been trying to bring the country together again, but
who is being charged by al-Sadr with corruption, and with supporting
the return of al-Maliki in elections scheduled for September. At the
same time, al-Abadi is head of the Iraqi army which is attempting to
recapture Mosul from the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL
or Daesh).
The protests and violence between supporters of the al-Sadr and
al-Maliki are Shia versus Shia Muslim violence. That violence is
expected to increase as the September elections approach. But
one-third of Iraq's population are Sunni Muslims, and their role in
the September elections is still to be fully defined. Middle East Eye and BBC and
Washington Post
Related Articles
- Arrest warrant for Iraq's VP plunges Iraq's government into crisis (21-Dec-2011)
- Iraq's Moqtada al-Sadr says attack Americans, not each other (09-Apr-2007)
- Iraqi Sunnis are turning against al-Qaeda in Iraq (01-Apr-2007)
****
**** Iraq's army poised to begin Battle of Mosul in the west
****
Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi had hoped that the army, heavily
backed by US and coalition warplanes and logistics, would have
completed its recapture of Mosul from ISIS by the end of 2016, but the
battle is taking far longer than expected. According to Iraq's
government, east Mosul with a population of 500,000 has been taken and
cleared of ISIS fighters, and the army is now poised to begin a
decisive battle to retake western Mosul, with a population of 750,000.
The urban style fighting is extremely nasty. ISIS has laid
hundreds of booby-trapped explosive devices in buildings throughout
the city. The ISIS fighters move around in tunnel systems
that have been built in preparation for this battle.
The government now estimates that the Battle of Mosul will take about
two more months. Air Force Times and CBS News and Washington Post (13-Jan)
Related Stories
- Iraq, ISIS and the West prepare for the Great Battle for Mosul to begin soon (01-Oct-2016)
- Iraq in major crisis after catastrophic fall of Mosul to ISIS (11-Jun-2014)
- Kurds battle ISIS for strategic Mosul Dam in Iraq (18-Aug-2014)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Iraq, Iran, Muqtada al-Sadr,
Nouri Al-Maliki, Haider al-Abadi, Baghdad, Mosul,
Islamic State / of Iraq and Syria/Sham/the Levant, IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
