The Cipher Brief: The Importance of the Basra Protests
* The Iraqi city of Basra has returned to relative quiet after a week of protests and sporadic violence.
* While some want to put a sectarian spin on the protests, the persistent issues of corruption, poor governance and inefficient provision of services compelled residents to demonstrate.
* The protests likely mark the end of Prime Minister al-Abadi’s push for a second term, with a great deal of political maneuvering now underway.
* While Iran of course has influence, as does the U.S. to a lesser degree, the decision will be made by Iraqis still in search of capable political leadership.
Frustration with inept governance has served as one of the few unifying issues in Iraq capable of transcending ethnic group, religion, tribe or sect. From the national level to many municipalities, the Iraqi government has repeatedly proven its inability to deliver even the most basic services. The lack of clean water in Basra is just one example. Rising resentment over poor governance led to months of tensions and a week of significant, and sometimes violent, protests in the southern port city.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 14, 2018
The End Is Near for Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's U.S.-Friendly Leader -- Rebecca Collard, Time
Here's How the Negotiations over the Next Iraq Government Are Going -- Geneive Abdo, National Interest
The Middle East Doesn't Take China Seriously -- Steven Cook, Foreign Policy
After Canada-Saudi row, West confronts risk of speaking up -- AFP
Could Trump meet Kim in New York this month? AP takes a look -- Foster Klug, AP
Trump administration: India can help US counter China -- Joel Gehrke, Washington Examiner
Reconciling Priorities in the India-U.S. Relationship -- Rathna K. Muralidharan, RCW
Indian rupee crisis: 'Worst is not yet over' -- Zeenat Saberin, Al Jazeera
Ending the Curse in the DRC: A Game of Thrones, Mines and Militias -- Erik Grossman, Small Wars Journal
Young Russians taking the lead in anti-Putin protests -- Nataliya Vasilyeva, AP
Angela Merkel faces suspicion in Baltics -- Konstantin von Eggert, DW
Was there another target in the Skripal poisoning? -- Steven E. Halliwell, Reuters
What Does the Manafort Plea Mean for Trump? -- Jacob Heilbrunn. National Interest
US: Pains of the financial crisis still felt 10 years on -- Rob Reynolds, Al JAzeera
10 years after Lehman, is another crisis brewing? -- Tendayi Kapfidze, MoneyWatch
2 comments:
The video in The Cipher Brief has a telling ending. Watch the Mayor starting at 5:13. Look at the arrogance of this person. There in a nutshell is Iraq's problem.
Part of the problem is that Erdogan told Turks to have as many people as many children as possible.
Not 2
Not 2.1
Not 3
But more
All those people need water so there is less water going downstream to Basra.
You can be like Erdogan (or Mao in the 50 & 60s) and tell people to conquer demographically without a plan or environmental impact statement.
Or you can be a lying member of the Demoscat Party tell people to abort their kids and accept 4 million or more people a year into the U.S. and take all the water until the Colorado River runs dry and Mexico gets none.
Same Lack of Planning
Same Hubris
Same Stupdity
Save Avarice
All that and the government is corrupt.
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