Turning Off The Lights In Islamic State Controlled Iraq

Elizabeth Palmer, Iraq, Power Grid. CBS

Iraq Is Cutting Off Electricity From Regions Held By ISIS -- Kevin Drum, Mother Jones

Here's a fascinating little factlet: Areas of northern Iraq controlled by ISIS have suffered "massive reductions" in electricity use. A small part of this is probably due to reduced demand thanks to the economic damage ISIS has wreaked. But Andrew Shaver says that's not the primary explanation:

The observed reductions have resulted from changes in supply. Fighting between Iraqi military and Islamic State forces has resulted in some downed transmission lines, although this factor alone cannot explain the massive reductions. And there is little evidence that the Islamic State seeks to keep to the lights off in the areas it now controls.

....A distinct possibility is that the Iraqi central government has cut off power to areas of the country under Islamic State control. Iraq’s Kurdistan regional government has done so. Under this scenario, Baghdad may be calculating that by restricting the supply of electricity, affected Iraqis will direct blame for the lost electricity on the occupying militants. If they do, the government may benefit as local Iraqis report on the Islamic State’s activities, passively resist the organization and so on.

Read more ....

My Comment: These regions will adjust, but this war is becoming desperate .... and all sides are now resorting to desperate measures.