Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 3, 2019

John Davison, Reuters: Explainer: Deadly civil unrest - what is happening in Iraq?


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 18 Iraqis have died in recent days in clashes between protesters and the security forces during street demonstrations that caught the authorities by surprise.

They were the first major deadly protests for more than a year.

WHY ARE PEOPLE PROTESTING?

Iraqis are fed up. Two years after the defeat of Islamic State much of the country’s nearly 40 million population live in worsening conditions despite the country’s oil wealth.

Security is better than it has been in years, but wrecked infrastructure has not been rebuilt and jobs are scarce. Youth blame this squarely on what they see as corrupt leaders who do not represent them.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- October 3, 2019

AP EXPLAINS: Iraq unrest comes at critical moment in region -- AP

Iraq Protests: Everything We Know So Far as Death Toll Rises -- Laura Powers, Newsweek

Iran, mismanagement, and political weakness: Why Iraqis are furious -- Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner

Checking Iranian Power in Iraq -- Omar Al-Nidawi, War On The Rocks

Iran's Goal: Turn Yemen into Saudi's Vietnam -- Seth Frantzman, Middle East Forum/The Jerusalem Post

Can Iran and Saudi Arabia Avoid War and Get Along? Reports Say They've Already Begun To Talk -- Tom O'Connor, Newsweek

Anti-Iran Alliance Falters as Netanyahu, Trump and MBS Focus on Their Own Predicaments -- Amos Harel, Haaretz

MBS must shelve his vicious war in Yemen -- Pepe Escobar, Asia Times

Why Saudi Arabia's Crisis Is a Sign that U.S. Foreign Policy Is Shifting -- Eldad Shavit and Ari Heistein, National Interest

The United States Is Done Caring About the Syrian War and Bashar al-Assad -- Foreign Policy

In decrying ‘foreign interference’, China should remember those times it has meddled in other countries’ affairs -- Wee Kek Koon, SCMP

China’s Anniversary Whitewashes the Terror of Mao -- Doug Bandow, American Conservative

France’s retirement overhaul: Macron’s greatest challenge? -- AP

Rise of Canada separatist leader poses electoral challenge for PM Trudeau -- David Ljunggren, Reuters

How the Trudeau campaign scrambled to sidestep political disaster -- David Ljunggren, Reuters

US data crashes stock market, threatens Trump -- David P. Goldman, Asia Times

US-Europe dispute threatens main artery of world trade -- Carlo Piovao and Lorne Cook, AP

1,500 People and Counting: The Trump Administration Is In Love with Sanctions -- Daniel R. DePetris, National Interest