The Common Ills: Moqtada returns (thanks to Nouri's fat mouth)

Friday, March 14, 2014

Moqtada returns (thanks to Nouri's fat mouth)

Among today's biggest news? The return of Moqtada al-Sadr. Alsumaria reports the cleric and movement leader has returned to Najaf from Iran and done so the day before the demonstrations he called for to take place.

Background. Nouri's big mouth ended up tanking his own two-day conference. For those who missed it, Nouri's fat mouth was flapping last Saturday insulting many as he spoke to France24. This led to prominent cancellations for his conference after he started accusing other countries of supporting terrorism (he was supposedly going to reveal proof of his gossip in the conference but, as usual, his fat mouth made empty promises). Now Moqtada had left Iraq. He'd asked his followers not to protest.

And dishy Nouri had to go all bitchy on Moqtada in the interview, insulting his intelligence, etc. This led to mass protests all week and now it's led to the return of Moqtada to Iraq. And to what's expected to be a very large protest against Nouri.

Moqtada avoided Baghdad International by flying from Iran to Al Najaf International Airport.

This allowed him to avoid the prime minister and chief thug of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki.

Sadly, the people of Anbar can't avoid Nouri or his continued assault on the province. National Iraqi News Agency notes that the military shelled a residential neighborhood in Rawa killing 1 person and injuring three members "from the same family." Nouri also ordered bombings in Falluja's residential neighborhoods and 1 adult and 1 child were killed while another child, a woman and five males were left injured. Civilians are targeted, hunted and killed in Nouri's Iraq.

Through yesterday, Iraq Body Count counts 427 violent deaths in Iraq so far this month.

National Iraqi News Agency reports an al-Rashad Village home invasion carried out by killers "in military uniforms" left 3 family members dead, Baghdad Operations Command states they killed 6 suspects in Latifiya, Joint Operations Command stated they killed 4 suspects "near al-Mowadhafeen Staff bridge" (in Anbar), an al-Qaim roadside bombing claimed the life of 1 Iraqi soldier and left three more military personnel injured, an Abu Dsher roadside bombing left two people injured, an Anbar suicide bomber ("between Aanah and Rawa cities") took his own life and the lives of 2 Iraqi soldiers and 1 police member dead (six more people injured), a Shualah roadside bombing left 2 people dead and six more injured, and "late last night" a bombing "targeted the house of municipal adminstrator [Aj,ed Sjejab] in Hawij" leaving four people injured. Alsumaria, citing Anbar Province's Council deputy chair Faleh al-Issawi, notes a Rawa bridge bombing which he states targeted a wedding and not the military present. All Iraq News notes 18 people have died in the Rawa Bridge bombing and eighteen more were injured. All Iraq News also reports 1 police member was shot dead near his Tikrit home.

The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan, Antiwar.com, Pacifica Evening News, Tavis Smiley, Jody Watley, PBS' The NewsHour and Jake Tapper -- updated last night and tonight: