Reuters finds a protest does grow in Iraq. Of course, it's not the real protests, it's the Cult of Moqtada -- fattest ass in all of Iraq. Did you know that 'hundreds' took to the streets of Baghdad? People like Mehdi Cult Member Haider al-Bahadili who chants, "I am ready to fight an American again and I am ready to die for Iraq." Moqtada's apparently 17 virgins wrapped into one -- which would explain the absence of a Mrs. Moqatada Fat Ass.
100s turned out in Baghdad, Reuters? And that proves Moqtada's 'power'?
Sadr City is a slum of what city? Oh, right, Baghdad. And it's estimated to have 2.5 million residents. And it's a hop and a skip for these Sadr City residents to make it to downtown Baghdad. But out of 2.5 million residents, only "hundreds" showed up for a Moqtada ordered demonstration?
It would appear Iraq's home grown Jim Jones is losing -- or has lost -- his grip on his followers. In fact, maybe that should be the headline:
MOQTADA ORDERS FOLLOWERS TO DEMONSTRATE, .036% OF FOLLOWERS SHOW UP!
Reuters keeps repeating "hundreds" which is a sure *sign* that 1,000 weren't present so I used 900 as the number present -- for any wanting to check my math. (And you should always check my math.)
They trampled and burned US flags . . . Isn't that a regular feature?
I'm not seeing anything in here that qualifies as novel, new or news.
But Reuters didn't file on Friday's protests, did they? Of course not.
Moqtada wasn't there. So they weren't interested.
They refused to cover yesterday's protests in Baghdad. Or in Mosul. And Mosul qualifies as news.
That's Thursday in the screen snap above. Look at those protesters. And among them? The governor of the province -- who happens to be the brother of the Speaker of Parliament. Who happens to have pushed his way through the Iraqi military blockade leading other protesters to file in quickly behind him and then in front of him.
But Reuters didn't think that was news.
If, in 2008, Nancy Pelosi's brother had led protesters in the US through a security barricade, you really think that wouldn't have qualified as news?
It's really amazing how telling reporting is. What gets covered says a whole hell of a lot about an outlet. Today's what, day 15 of the Mosul protests? The Iraqi military is out of control in Mosul. Even the governor has joined the protesters. And Reuters doesn't report on that -- and hasn't reported on it -- but they do want you to know their dream boy, the fantasies of all their wet dreams, Moqtada managed to get less than a half of 1% of his followers in Baghdad to turn out for a Baghdad protest. To them, that's news.
For news on the Friday protests you can see that day's snapshot and click here for news about the governor joining protests.
Quiz time: In February, a number of Iraqi officials resigned in the face of the protests. The mayor of Baghdad offered his resignation but Nouri refused to accept it. One governor was called on by Nouri to resign but the governor refused.
Who was that governor?
Atheel al-Nujaifi. The same governor participating in the protests. Brother of Speaker of Parliament Osaman al-Nujaifi.
Protests continued in Mosul today -- AFP informs us, doing what Reuters won't. AFP notes it is the 15th day in a row for Mosul. Do people realize there have been sit-ins? Do people realize a military curfew was attempted but the people of Mosul (and surrounding areas) rejected it? But don't worry, Moqtada just went to the bathroom and Reuters has pictures and even some used toilet paper.
On the press, Nick Turse (TomDispatch reposted by Al Jazeera) observes:
The first months of this year have been grim for free speech in Iraq.
As revolts swept across the Middle East and North Africa, they spread to Iraqi cities and towns, but took on a very different cast.
In February, in places like Baghdad, Fallujah, Mosul and Tikrit, protesters took to the streets, intent on reform - focused on ending corruption and the chronic shortages of food, water, electricity and jobs - but not toppling the government of prime minister Nuri al-Maliki.
The response by government security forces, who have arrested, beaten, and shot protesters, leaving hundreds dead or wounded, however, was similar to that of other autocratic rulers around the region.
Attacks by Iraqi forces on freedom of the press, in the form of harassment, detention, and assaults on individual journalists, raids of radio stations, the offices of newspapers and press freedom groups have also shown the dark side of Maliki's regime.
Many journalists have been prevented from covering protests or have curtailed their reporting in response to brutality, raising the spectre of a return to the days of Saddam Hussein's regime when press freedom was a fiction.
Maliki's US allies, however, have turned a blind eye to the violence and repression, with the top spokesman for the US military in Iraq praising the same Iraqi units which eyewitnesses have identified as key players in the crackdown while ignoring the outrages attributed to them.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
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