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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 29-Nov-2019
29-Nov-19 World View -- Spiraling bloodbath in Iraq, as anti-Iran and anti-government riots spread

Web Log - November, 2019

29-Nov-19 World View -- Spiraling bloodbath in Iraq, as anti-Iran and anti-government riots spread

Protesters demand restructuring Iraq's 'confessional' government

by John J. Xenakis

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Bloodbath in Nasiriyah, Iraq, as riots spread to multiple cities
Protesters demand end of intervention by Iran
Protesters demand restructuring Iraq's 'confessional' government

Bloodbath in Nasiriyah, Iraq, as riots spread to multiple cities

Map of Iraq showing locations of anti-government, anti-Iran protests (AFP)

Map of Iraq showing locations of anti-government, anti-Iran protests (AFP)

Increasingly violent anti-Iran and anti-government demonstrations and riots are spreading across numerous cities in southern Iraq. These are generational Awakening era riots following the Iran/Iraq war of 1980-89. The riots are mostly confined to cities in southern Iraq, which is the stronghold of the Shia Muslims, and the rioters are themselves almost entirely Shia Muslims.

So far, there is no activity by Sunni Muslims in Iraq. This is ironic, of course, since Iraq is a Shia Muslim country being attacked by Shia Muslim civilians in Iraq.

There was a bloodbath on Thursday, as 40 protesters were killed and hundreds wounded in the cities of Baghdad and Nasiriyah.

The unrest in Iraq began on October 1, when thousands took to the streets in Baghdad and southern cities. At least 350 people have been killed by security forces, which routinely use live ammunition, bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades to disperse crowds.

On Wednesday evening, there was a dramatic escalation when hundreds of anti-government protesters attacked the Iranian consulate in the holy Shia city of Najaf, setting the building on fire, and replacing the Iranian flag with the Iraqi flag.

This is the second time this month that an Iranian consulate was attacked. Three weeks ago, security forces killed four demonstrators who stormed the Iranian consulate in the city of Karbala.

One could say that Iran is getting what it deserves, since Iran has frequently allowed attacks on foreign embassies in Tehran as an instrument of government policy.

Protesters demand end of intervention by Iran

Since the riots began on October 1, demonstrators have been accusing the government of corruption, and have been protesting Iran's massive intervention in Iraq.

Iran's government has been demanding action from the Iraq government to stop the attack on Iran's consulates.

There have been some efforts by Iranian officials to meet with protesters to try to quell the demonstrations. However, this will never go well, because the protesters are young kids who are well aware that their grandfathers and grandmothers were attacked, raped, tortured, and killed by Iranians during the Iran/Iraq war.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi criticized Iraq's government's failure to prevent violence:

"The Iraqi government is responsible to secure safety of diplomatic missions and diplomats in Iraq... Tehran strongly condemns the attack and demands the Iraqi government's firm response to the aggressors."

A statement from the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) suggests that Iran will take action of its own by using the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to control the protesters. The PMF were formed in the past few years and were the principal paramilitary force used to expel ISIS from northern Iraq. However, the PMF are still around, and Iran is threatening to use them to attack the Shia protesters in southern Iraq.

This action by the PMF would certainly raise concerns that the Iran/Iraq war was starting all over again. That can't happen because both Iran and Iraq are in a generational Awakening era, but there could be a brief military clash.

Protesters demand restructuring Iraq's 'confessional' government

As I described earlier this month, Iraq has a "confessional" form of government. ( "3-Nov-19 World View -- Anti-Iran, anti-government protests spread across Iraq")

The confesssional form of government was set up in both Lebanon and Iraq. Different governmental institutions are assigned, based on the sectarian affiliation or confession. In Iraq, the nation's resources and institutions are divided up among Shias, Sunnis and Kurds, to ensure free and equal citizenship.

In terms of preventing new rounds of sectarian violence, the confessional form of government seems to have worked. But unfortunately it makes corruption too easy, since officials in each "confession" have too much control over the funds, with no checks and balances.

The young Iraqis are now calling for an end to the confessional form of government, saying that it has permitted too much corruption. They particularly blame Iran's influence for the greatest amount of corruption.

Needless to say, the corrupt government officials in Iraq who have been using control of money and institutions to keep their cronies in power have no intention of letting this happen. But if the street protests continue and grow, they may have no choice.

The same thing is happening in Lebanon, where there are massive street protests, and calls for an end to its confessional form of government.

Both Iraq and Lebanon are client states of Iran, and these protests represent serious threats to Iran's foreign policy.

Sources:

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(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the Generational Dynamics World View News thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (29-Nov-2019) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 29-Nov-2019 29-Nov-19 World View -- Spiraling bloodbath in Iraq, as anti-Iran and anti-government riots spread

Bloodbath in Nasiriyah, Iraq, as riots spread to multiple cities

Protesters demand end of intervention by Iran

Protesters demand restructuring Iraq's 'confessional' government

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 29-Nov-2019
29-Nov-19 World View -- Spiraling bloodbath in Iraq, as anti-Iran and anti-government riots spread