Posted on 05/28/2008 3:21:22 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Alcohol has been banned in the southern Iraqi province of Basra.
The provincial Basra Council has approved a new law enforcing the ban in the territory, the Voices of Iraq news agency cited Council president Nasif al-Ibadi as saying.
The alcohol in the province was approved late on Wednesday, al-Ibadi said.
"You will not be able to cross the borders between Iraq and other neighbouring countries carrying loads of alcohol to other parts of the country," he stated.
The local administration applied the change under Article 2 of the Iraqi constitution that includes the application of Sharia law.
The alcohol ban appears to be one of several changes in the area following an offensive by Iraqi security forces against the Shia militias of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr a month ago.
Several local bars reopened in Basra recently after being closed for four years. They began serving alcohol after soldiers arrived from Baghdad to carry out the military offensive.
I’ll drink to that!
Ethanol’s not gonna make it over there.
Haven’t they heard of the Prohibition and how great that worked out? Moonshining and smuggling will become the new big business. In Iran they have a saying that before the Revolution you had to go out to get your booze, after the Revolution they’ll bring it to your house.
Dang. There goes the brats and beer. Even a pig roast without a keg isn’t as much fun.
There are more than a few counties in Arkansas and East Texas that do the same thing. Maybe the American Legion can open a post in Basra to help things out.
Alcohol smuggling and prohibition in the mideast is nothing new.
What do you want to bet that some local “clerics” hope to make an economic killing on the now illegal alcohol trade????
Well, I won’t go there for vacation
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.