Posted on 02/24/2011 7:24:27 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
BAGHDAD - The Iraqi capital was virtually locked down Thursday night as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki issued an indefinite curfew for cars and even bicycles and warned citizens to stay away from Friday's planned "Day of Rage" protests.
Organizers had hoped the nationwide event would inject a fresh concept into the exercise of Iraq's fledgling democracy: peaceful expression of discontent. Instead, the lead-up to the big day - when protesters plan to demand a better government, not a new one - has been defined by anxiety and the increasingly familiar features of Maliki's bare-knuckle governing style.
On Tuesday night, security forces ransacked Iraq's nonprofit Journalistic Freedoms Observatory, which is supporting the protest, carting off computers, hard drives and files. On Wednesday, hundreds of soldiers and police began fortifying Baghdad's Tahrir Square, checking IDs and photographing the smattering of protesters who had begun unfurling banners reading "No to bribes!" and "The oil money is for the people!"
Then in a televised speech Thursday, Maliki, who had begun the week welcoming the protest, urged people to stay away, saying the event seemed "suspicious" and was likely to be infiltrated by al-Qaeda or perhaps loyalists of Sadaam Hussein's Baath Party or "terrorists" seeking to co-opt it for their own purposes.
Soldiers began setting up checkpoints blockading many Baghdad neighborhoods.
Near midnight Thursday, a red banner flashed across state television broadcasts announcing the curfew, a draconian measure more often deployed to deal with insurgent attacks.
Still, many of the young protesters said they were undeterred.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Who is enraged and why?
For an Arab, no reason is necessary.
I'm assuming you meant Muslim...there are Arab Christians, Jews, etc.
Calling the demonstration A Day of Rage certainly belies any peaceful intent. Once a large crowd gathers, especially in that part of the world in these turbulent times, it would be easy to start a riot.
With any luck, Mookie al-Sadr will get popped in the confusion.
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