US and Europe are ignoring the Iraqi protesters. What a sad time in my home country. My heart is really aching.
Arab protests of 2019 (and beyond)
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Where do you see this going? Feels like something’s got to give soon.
Unfortunately, I dont see it going anywhere without any light being shed on the protests from the international community. The government is playing the patience card and are waiting for the protesters to get tired and go home eventually.
It’s the kind of thing that really exposes the limits of the sectarian explanation of Middle Eastern politics.
The Iraqi PM has sacked the security force leader who had been sent to Al Nassiriyah yesterday after the bloodbath.
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This looks like an impressive achievement for the protest movement, although the other side made them pay a terrible price for it.
What is likely to come next, are there realistic chances of an improvement?
What is likely to come next, are there realistic chances of an improvement?
the protesters are not going home until there are constitutional changes, they want a new system because they believe the resignation will change very little, the next PM will get into his position after pledging his loyalty to big corrupted parties in the country. What the people want is that they elect their leader instead of a PM being appointed behind closed doors between corrupted parties and two embassies (USA and Iran).
I doubt the protests will ever stop.
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Another massacre in Baghdad on Friday. 25 protesters were killed by Iranian backed Militias.
These Iranian militias are just as brutal and tyrannical as the Ba’athists that preceded them, one step forward two steps back.
And shame on the Iraqis more loyal to Khameini than their own flag.
And shame on the Iraqis more loyal to Khameini than their own flag.
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(Doran’s a massive Iran-hawk so not 100% sure on the accuracy here)
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/01/iraq-protests-pmu-shiite-militias.html
This is what we feared, the US gave a great service for the Iraqi government to end theses protest by indirectly using theses militias. Yesterday their were clashes between the the October protesters and those who was making a symbolic pro Abu Mahdi funeral in Basrah and Nasiriyah.
This is what we feared, the US gave a great service for the Iraqi government to end theses protest by indirectly using theses militias. Yesterday their were clashes between the the October protesters and those who was making a symbolic pro Abu Mahdi funeral in Basrah and Nasiriyah.
Clashes again today between the protesters and the militias, many killed in Nasiriyah again.
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Big protests today, No response from the government.
Yes all foreign forces should leave and that includes the Iranians and the US too.
Major protests in Basrah after the assassination of a well known and a respected reporter named Ahmed Abdul Samad with his fellow cameraman, the reporter had strong reviews against the militias that is backed by Iran.
Heavy gunfire erupted yesterday morning in a several neighborhoods all over the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Fighting, which included artillery, was mainly around intelligence facilities. The Operations Unit, the military arm of the intelligence appeared to have gone rogue, and the Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces engaged them. Gunfire could be heard all over the city. The airport was closed and flights over Khartoum airspace suspended for most of the day.
Causes for the fighting are unknown. Early reports suggested it was started by discharged intelligence personnel who had not been payed their severance packages
General Hemedti, commander of the rapid support forces made a statement accusing the ex-intelligence chief Salah Gosh, the current chief, and retired and active islamist officers within the intelligence forces of attempting a coup and claims they were backed by an 'Arab government". Gosh, the ex intelligence chief, is rumored to currently work as a consultant for the Egyptian intelligence.
A statement was released a short while ago by Alburhan, the Head of Sovereign Council and the Prime Minister Hamdock, that the fighting was over, the curfew lifted and life could return to normal.
3 civilian deaths have been reported, military casualties are not yet known.
Causes for the fighting are unknown. Early reports suggested it was started by discharged intelligence personnel who had not been payed their severance packages
General Hemedti, commander of the rapid support forces made a statement accusing the ex-intelligence chief Salah Gosh, the current chief, and retired and active islamist officers within the intelligence forces of attempting a coup and claims they were backed by an 'Arab government". Gosh, the ex intelligence chief, is rumored to currently work as a consultant for the Egyptian intelligence.
A statement was released a short while ago by Alburhan, the Head of Sovereign Council and the Prime Minister Hamdock, that the fighting was over, the curfew lifted and life could return to normal.
3 civilian deaths have been reported, military casualties are not yet known.
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I hope this happens, but I'm not sure it will, as it could bring up some interesting names. Gen. Alburhan was the chief of military intelligence in Darfur at one point and tasked with overseeing the Janjaweed militias, of which Gen. Hemedti was a part of at the time. I don't think they would risk allowing Bashir to be questioned abroad and bring up their names or implicate them
The past week has been a bit strange. Alburhan meeting with Netanyahu. Hamdock requesting a UN peacekeeping mission. I read the above headline as part of a power struggle between the Military and Civil factions of the government.
I'd be elated if it happened.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/02/12/sudan-government-foreign-policy-sovereign-council-icc-bashir/
https://www.aljazeera.com/programme...al-bashir-face-trial-icc-200212191928666.html
@2cents if you're interested these discuss the issue in a bit more detail.
https://www.aljazeera.com/programme...al-bashir-face-trial-icc-200212191928666.html
@2cents if you're interested these discuss the issue in a bit more detail.
Thanks, very interesting.
Can I ask, what are the views of Sudanese people on the wars with the South and in Darfur? And is the conflict continuing in the Nuba Mountains?
Very hard to give a concise answer to these, but I'll try.
The South :
A war that began just prior to independence in 1956, and continued up until 2005. During the war opinion in the North was very pro government and anti rebel. Most of the war was before satellite TV and the internet, so it was easy for the government to control the narrative.
An agreement was signed in 2005 with the SPLA, the rebel forces. Dr John Garang, the charismatic leader of the rebel forces managed to change public perception of himself and the rebels during the short time he was alive after the agreement, founded a political party which attracted a lot of northern Sudanese and announced he would be running for President for a unified Sudan. He died (suspiciously?) in 2005 in plane crash. South seceded in 2011.
Civil war has continued in South Sudan with Sudan allegedly backing the rebels in response to South Sudan allegedly giving support to rebel movements in the North.
Since the revolution hostility between Sudan and South Sudan has eased, with South Sudan hosting and brokering peace talks for the northern factions.
Nuba Mountains :
I'll answer this first, as they were part of the SPLA movement, but were shafted by both parties in the 2005 peace agreement.
There's been a cease fire since the revolution. Peace talks are ongoing, with the rebels demanding, among other things, either a secular Constitution or Independence. For many 'secular' is still considered a dirty word, synonymous with 'anti-religious' so public opinion on the issue depends on how one feels about a secular state.
Darfur:
The war began as a fight against 'Marginalization and oppression' of the non Arabs and Darfur region by 'elite ruling Nile tribes'. Local media at the time portrayed it as a fight against bandits and armed gangs in the Western border regions.
As news of the atrocities began to surface the government claimed it was all exaggeration and anti-islamic propoganda spread by imperialist forces to bring Sudan to its knees and abort its Islamic project, etc. The majority bought it.
Today everyone is unanimous in calling for those guilty of atrocities to be brought to justice, but many from Darfur feel that not enough was done for their cause while they were being killed and displaced, and that their cause is being 'used' by the elitist Nile tribes to settle scores with the previous regime rather than out of genuine motives. One can't really blame them.
As for the peace talks, it's a bit tricky. There are several Darfuri movement forces, each with their own demands and interests. International pressure on all sides is needed to pressure the government and the movements to an agreement.
This is longer than I intended to be. Hope I didn't bore you and that it answers your question.
No that’s all very interesting, thanks!
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These protests in the largely Druze city of Suwayda in the Deep South of Syria have been going on for a few days now, and seem to be growing:
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Their currency went from 900 against the dollar in January to 3k-3.5k from what I see on social media. This is before the actions from the ‘Caesar Act’ go into effect on the 17th, though that consideration might have been anticipated and this is a reaction to what is going on in Lebanon. And Russia started bombing runs again [Reuters ].
Those people can’t catch a break...