12 dead in Basra as rockets fired at airport and Iranian consulate torched

[Devil Child]

Source: The Telegraph

Unknown assailants fired three Katyusha rockets at Iraq's Basra airport Saturday, an airport official said, after a chaotic and violent night that saw hundreds of protesters burning tires on main streets and highways and setting ablaze the Iranian consulate in the city.

The protests in Basra are the most serious to shake Iraq's oil-rich southern Shiite heartland in years. Protesters are calling for an end to endemic corruption, soaring joblessness and poor public services and have turned their rage on neighboring Iran, blaming its outsized influence in Iraq's political affairs for their misery.

The official said it was not clear who was behind the Saturday morning attack on Basra airport, which also houses the US consulate. He said the attack occurred at about 8 a.m. local time and did not cause casualties or disrupt flights in or out of the city. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Hours earlier, protesters shouting anti-Iranian slogans including "Iran, out, out!" stormed the Iranian consulate and set a fire inside. They also burned an Iranian flag and trampled over a portrait of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Read more: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/08/chaos-basra-rockets-fired-airport-iranian-consulate-torched/

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Rising unrest in Southern Iraq. I wonder if this is related to Shiite/Sunni sectarian divide or genuine frustration with Iranian involvement in local affairs?

[B Stieg]

1. Any chance this is ISIS?

The organization is far from obliteration, despite The President's* claim of "mission accomplished."
REGISTER and VOTE in November!!!

[Devil Child]

2. The Islamic State flag is prominent flying with rioters in some of the videos

So yeah, I'm thinking IS or sympathizers are pouring gas into this fire. Now with Shiite militias being deployed the risk for more sectarian violence has increased.

[B Stieg]

6. Right. Because ISIS was in part, Sunni.

Makes sense these roaches (apologies to all bugs) would still be crawling around!

THX!

[bronxiteforever]

3. Incredible corruption is the number one issue and it is uniting the populace

“Iraqis disagree about many things but on one topic they are united: they believe they live in the most corrupt country in the world, barring a few where there is nothing much to steal. They see themselves as victims of a kleptomaniac state where hundreds of billions of dollars have disappeared into the pockets of the ruling elite over the past 15 years, while everybody else endures shortages of everything from jobs and houses to water and electricity.

...

It is impossible to exaggerate the frustration of Iraqis who know they live in a potentially rich country, the second largest oil producer in Opec, but see its wealth being stolen in front of their eyes year after year.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/iraq-isis-corruption-airstrikes-baghdad-patrick-cockburn-a8434371.html

[Devil Child]

4. "Write that Iraq has no government!" he shouted at me. "It has only thieves!"

The totality of the theft by the ruling class of the Iraqi people is staggering indeed. Great and insightful article. Thank you for sharing!

[bronxiteforever]

5. Your welcome! So much suffering for those

poor people. I try to imagine living in that world and I think about how angry I would be.
None of this bodes well for the region. I am sure the Con hasn’t a clue as to what policy we have towards Iraq.

[elmac]

7. casualties continue some 17 years after the US illegally declared war on Iraq. nt

[MarcA]

8. Chaos and terror for the many $$$ for the few "winners" n/t

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. Any Bolton fingers in this pie?

Wouldn't put it past him to have placed agents in the middle of this ruckus to inflame Iran.... ....Looks like a perfect place to antagonize for a fight in this Shiite-majority city that's been horribly neglected by the government.

Another good article from the AFP via Prof. Juan Cole:
https://www.juancole.com/2018/09/protesters-iranian-consulate.html

(snips)

Basra has seen a surge in protests since Tuesday, with demonstrators torching government buildings as well as political party and militia offices, as anger boils over after the hospitalisation of 30,000 people who had drunk polluted water.
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The wave of protests first broke out in July in oil-rich Basra province before spreading to other parts of the country, with demonstrators also condemning corruption among Iraqi officials and demanding jobs.

“We’re thirsty, we’re hungry, we are sick and abandoned,” protester Ali Hussein told AFP on Friday after another night of violence.

Very dangerous situation for this already troubled part of the world.......

[roamer65]

10. The divide is Arab Shi'a versus Persian Shi'a.

Southern Iraq, Iranian Khuzestan, Kuwait and Eastern Saudi Arabia are majority Arab Shi’a.

Arab Shi’ites distrust both Arab Sunnis and Persian Shi’ites.

The gambit being played by the US is to get Khuzestan province to leave Iran and join with other Arab Shi’a to form a new Arab Shi’a superstate. The MEK movement is a US backed terror group dedicated to that cause.

Why? Because 90 percent of Iranian oil reserves are in Khuzestan. If you break off Khuzestan, you cripple Iran.