British newspaper warns of "ominous ominous": Iraqis are angry at the visit of Soleimani

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[size=52]British newspaper warns of "ominous ominous": Iraqis are angry at the visit of Soleimani[/size]

[size=45]The commentator David Gardner said that the period in which Iraq is going through is reminiscent of the repression of Saddam Hussein's regime.
[size=45]He said in an article in the Financial Times that 16 years after the collapse of Saddam's regime, Iraqis are facing repression because of the opposition, but this time from the democratically elected government, pointing out that the brutal persecution of demonstrators since the beginning of last October, witnessed the launch of Iraqi security forces and insurgents Unidentified gunmen shot at demonstrators, killing 325 people and injuring at least 15,000 people. Although the worst campaign of persecution has passed, it is a sign that the government in Baghdad is backtracking on its democratic promises.[/size]
[size=45]Toby Dodge, an Iraq expert at Chatham House in London, is quoted as saying that "the power of coercion of the state has been deployed to suppress legitimate political expression. This is a bad omen for Iraqi democracy and its progress."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out that “the Iraqi government uses methods known to dictatorships around the world, which weakens the faith of Iraqis in the democratic system installed by the United States after the invasion of 2003, from killing protesters to monitor what is written on Facebook pages, to completely shut down the Internet He raised repression compared to the previous dictator. ”[/size]
[size=45]Repression goes beyond the battle between security men and stone-throwing protesters, who have not left Tahrir Square in Baghdad, and are demonstrating in other southern cities. Activists who protesters say have been arrested and forced to sign documents rejecting the protesters have disappeared.[/size]
[size=45]Gardner points out that some have been arrested for posting online material in support of the protests, noting Human Rights Watch researcher Belkis Wiley that the approach of multilateral security forces to suppress freedom of expression enjoyed by Iraqis since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime , Sending messages that he does not tolerate public criticism of the government.[/size]
[size=45]The digital media has become an important tool of repression, banning the Internet for 50 days, and the service was completely cut off for two weeks, according to the founder of "NetLux" specialized in the field of Internet freedom Alp Tucker.[/size]
[size=45]Gardner said that at some point a curfew was imposed, and intermittent restrictions were imposed on a daily basis. "This is Orwelli's action," he said.[/size]
[size=45]The anger of opinion focused on Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who is in charge as the supreme commander, about the response of the security forces, pointing to the analysts and some Iraqi officials said that Abdul Mahdi, although he did not order repression, but he is accountable.[/size]
[size=45]"Abdul Mahdi is not a tyrant," Gardner said of the Washington Institute for Near East Studies fellow Michael Knights.[/size]
[size=45]As an economist and with ties to Iran and America, Abdul Mahdi came to power last year after a deal between the two major blocs in parliament and with Iranian support, but his relationship with Iran remains a point of contention, especially since the protesters came from Shiite areas in the capital and southern Iraq, most of them unemployed.[/size]
[size=45]The article quotes Ban Hashem, 49, that politicians "use Iraqi money for their own interests or to carry out a foreign agenda to destroy the country."[/size]
[size=45]The Shiites are led by the two largest blocs in the shattered parliament, one led by populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the other led by Hadi al-Amiri, representing factions linked to the PMF.[/size]
[size=45]Gardner says the Iraqis were outraged by reports that the Quds Force commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Qasim Soleimani's visit to Baghdad to support the Iraqi government and suppress the demonstrators was underscored. Behind the demonstrations in Iraq and Lebanon.[/size]
[size=45]The author concludes by pointing out the talk of "Doug" Chatham House, about the increasing influence of Iranian-backed symbols in Iraq coincided with the tightening of the authorities with the opposition, and "become violent men in the center of the theater."[/size]


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