What was under the table has been revealed…there's even more!!

The Post was updated till day 6 and that's when AlMaliki's rage episode on his dear friend Muqtada was over...hundreds of Iraqis died for nothing!!






What I feared few days ago has unfortunately happened.
I was getting in my car to get home from the clinic when I saw one of the clinic's guards running toward me…"Doc. Leave now and try to get home as fast as you can…it's getting really dangerous" he said. I was so surprised and I asked him "what's wrong? What happened?" he said" It has gone really bad in Sadir City, it has really gone out of control… and it's spreading everywhere and it's spreading pretty fast…there are fierce confrontations between AlMahdy army and Badir brigade" I thanked him and stepped on it…On my way home I paid attention to the streets and I noticed that there are huge number of police, army and US Humvees roaming the street pretty fast and one can easily know that they are really tensioned…At that time I knew he wasn't kidding…as I reached my neighborhood, there was nothing wrong in it so I though it might be a small confrontation and the dispute might get settled soon…but I was so wrong…I had no electricity to watch news so I had lunch and took a nap.
At the noon I met one of my neighbors and I asked him about it (he works near Sadir City) and he told me that it was something really scary…he told me "Out of a sudden we saw tens of Pickup trucks with armed men wearing plain clothes…they started shooting randomly and asked us to go back…they said that if we don't get back we might get killed…but where could we go? It's closed, everywhere…there was no road we can escape through…but thanks to some mechanics who opened one of the closed alleys and people managed to escape".
Muqtada announced civil disobedience…and his army is back in action…their demands are to stop killing and arresting AlMahdy army members because they are not in action and the army is frozen, and the hidden demand as I think is giving him the control over Basrah which is the chicken that gives golden eggs…it has been a long time of dispute between him and Badir Brigade.
There are so many neighborhoods that are closed now and curfew is announced in them…like Hai `Oor , AlSaidia, AlGihad, AlMashtal, Abu-Dsheer and of course Sadir City…as one of my friends told me that Mahdy Army members have knocked on every door in his neighborhood and told the residents not to go out of their homes or go to work because they will put themselves in troubles and they will be considered resistant to and against AlMahdi Army!!
Another friend who lives in Hai `Oor told me that AlMahdi Army have taken control over the police and army checkpoints and they are using their tanks and armored vehicles!!
AlMaliki in Basrah leading the battle against AlMahdi Army announced from his position that anyone who will not attend his work will be considered with and loyal to AlMahdi Army (How silly) and he called for back up from Karbalaa.
While Muqtada ordered his followers to distribute copies of Quran with olive branches to every police or army checkpoint they meet!!! What a controversy with the civil disobedience! But that was what he said in public and god knows what his real orders were.
I had some errands to do in the afternoon so I was driving my car and I don't know why the streets' conditions reminded me of Samaraa explosions of the two Askari shrines…the streets are empty and gloomy…caution is in the air…and one can easily feel there's something wrong…it was so creepy, I got back home as soon as I could.
I'm so sad that these things happened; I knew it was coming but I hoped that it will not or it will at least be delayed.
Only god knows what will happen next…I'm sure there are so many things coming on the way…
And we have AlMaliki saying that who will not go to work will be considered loyal to AlMahdi army…what could the civilians do? Go to their work and get killed by AlMahdi army…or put themselves in big troubles and might be killed if they don't go to work? It's a real mess.








Actually, as I'm writing this post now, I can hear the sounds of the bullets while the jet fighters and helicopters are flying over my house ...I'm expecting a curfew in all Baghdad soon.
Is it the beginning of the era of Shiite-Shiite conflicts? Does this prove that it's not about sect or religion? Does this prove that it's all about interests and benefits?
I'll update this post when anything happens.









*Update* Day 2


Escalation continued today…in the morning there was some movement in the streets but it's far from normal and it continued diminishing until 4pm when the streets became almost empty especially in the disturbed areas…Most of the shops and markets are closed today…majority of the doctors and staff didn't attend work today and they told us that we can skip work tomorrow and we will not be asked about it, "It's too dangerous, and there is no water…so you will not be asked if you didn't show up tomorrow" the Manager said.
Majority of Baghdad is without electricity or water today and even in the areas that received electricity they got it not more than 1 hour…and there is no water in the tub and even in the areas that have water it was more like mud than water…I believe it's our sweet, kind and nice government punishing us!!
The sounds of confrontations almost didn't stop till this moment…jet fighters roaming Baghdad's sky all the time … far explosions are heard every while.
Today was a really bloody day, it begun raining mortars again… mortars targeted Palestine St. and damaged the commercial street leaving many destroyed shops and casualties behind…Al-Karada was also targeted with mortars as same as Al-Jihad, Al-Risala, Al-Jami`a , Green Zone and Al-Salhia districts but the number of casualties wasn't announced except for the Green Zone in which 3 were dead.
Confrontation between AlMahdi Army and Badir Brigade with the Iraqi army and police extended into other areas like Al-Sha`ab district and Palestine St. but the really shameful thing that the government isn't announcing the number of casualties as if they want us to be in the dark not knowing what's happening on the ground…Shame on them but I think they are used to be ashamed!
Sadir City is under siege and curfew for vehicles and individuals has been announced since yesterday and till this moment while nobody (from the people I know) knows what's really happening there and what is the final result of casualties.

While in Basrah where the real battlefield is, AlMaliki gave Muqtada followers 3 days to surrender and drop their weapons and whoever will do that will be forgiven!! (I don't believe that) and Muqtada replied to him that his army will give up his weapons only to a fair government and when the occupation is out of Iraq, The government announced that Muqtada asked AlMaliki to get out of Basrah and negotiate with them while Muqtada's spoke man said that these things aren't true and it's just a rumor from the government and we never asked for negotiation…Also in Basrah many high ranked officers in the police, army and national guard where forced to resign and will face justice for collaboration with AlMahdi army and allowing them to gain the control they have now…the count of casualties for civilians in Basrah as announced by the government is 40 deaths and 240 wounded…I'll never believe those are the real numbers.

Back to Baghdad were many offices for AlDa`wa party and the higher council of the Islamic revolution party were burned or destroyed in various areas of Baghdad by AlMahdi army and I heard many rumors about some of the checkpoints or police stations were ordered by their officers not to attack AlMahdi army and supply them with weapons and whatever they need!!! That simply proves how penetrated is the army and police by AlMahdi army…Today I went to Baghdad/Alrisafa health department in Bab AlMo`atham near the ministry of health which is under total control of the Sadri political current because I have an urgent business there…I couldn't know Bab AlMo`atham, it was so empty, it was like a nuclear bomb had stroke it…and when I entered the department I couldn't do anything because all the managers haven't attended work!!! They are all Muqtada's followers!!

I think that Muqtada wants to show his best in this fight…he wants to get the respect and his demands fulfilled…he wants to have control and give a lesson to everyone that if his orders or demands aren't answered then you will be all in trouble!!
It's really getting worse…I'm afraid if this continues it will reach my neighborhood tomorrow or the day after…today I noticed that there are more police cars in my district and there are soldiers distributed in the streets but according to their number I can't believe that can do anything…they are few for such a big trouble.


*Update* Day 3


Today was terrible, really terrible....no electricity all day so i could only hear the 7pm news...the water barely comes out of the tub, it actually drops, the Internet was really bad with lots of troubles.. not much mentioned in the news, it seems like the government don't want anyone to know anything...but AlMaliki announced that there will be no negotiations with AlMahdi Army or Muqtada Alsadir while it rained 7 mortars on the green zone and I'm sure there were more areas targeted with mortars but they didn't announce it because I heard 3 loud explosions and the green zone is so far away from me...nothing much is said but from my home I think that the troubles aren't more than 2 or 3 Km away from me...I was able to hear the bullets from the early morning...I though that I'd see AlMahdi Army in front of my door in the noon but thank god that didn't happen...but I saw the US troops in the commercial St. in my neighborhood...they blocked the street and went on foot...they seemed really aggressive I passed by them when I was going to the market.. "two bullets were fired at them but none of them was injured" as my friend told me, they stayed for an hour and then they left.
I went to buy food supplies from the market near my home and I noticed that majority of the shops are closed although there is nothing in my neighborhood but it seems that people are really scared and they prefer to stay home rather than going to work (and I see that it's the right thing to do) and also the street is much emptier than yesterday, if this continues few more days Baghdad will be a city of ghosts...almost there are no cars...I went to buy fruits and vegetables but i couldn't find anything good and most of the items are missing because AlAlwa (which is the main market for fruits and vegetables) are closed so some of the grocers couldn't reach there and some reached there but couldn't bring anything because it's closed!! I bought all I need and got back home safe.



*Update* Day 4








I woke up on the sound of the Iraqi army speakers announcing that today there is a curfew for vehicles and persons and it will continue till Sunday and everyone is obligated to obey, they also gave phone numbers to call in case anyone sees or hears something suspicious or notice a breach for the curfew.
Confrontations continued in Basrah with help of the US jet fighters and the British forces, AlMahdi army is supported now by its former enemy AlFathila party. Iraqi officials in the ministry of anterior announced that they have captured Iranian agents helping AlMahdi army, AlMaliki also announced that armed men can give their weapons and they will be rewarded with money in case they did that before April 8th and they will not face any legal consequences and also confirmed that there will be no negotiations with the criminal gangs referring to AlMahdi army.
More mortars targeted the green zone while the US troops searched AlRisala, AlWashash and some other districts searching for members in AlMahdi army where confrontation took place.
There was also protests in Kathomia supporting Muqtada and calling AlMaliki "The new dectator".
The siege and confrontations continued in Sadir city which is headquarter of AlMahdi army and the US jets attacked launching pads for Katiosha missiles for AlMahdi army preparing to enter it.
also the jet fighters bombed AlKathomia and some other neighborhoods.
I watched the news today in AlArabiya and they have some really good videos, I think they have the best coverage for the events among all other news channels…I saw the Humvees of AlMahdi army!!! It's painted in white and written on it "Ya Mahdi" or "Ya ka`im al Mohammed!! They were jumping on it and shooting in the air!! the video on the top is in Basrah and it's different from the one I was talking about.
Today I felt something strange I don't know why but my feelings got back five years from now…I don't know why I remembered the days of war…the same weather…the same silence interrupted by explosions every while and the sounds of far bullets…it's so silent no sound for cars or people, no electricity so there is no noise from any electrical device…it's so silent.
Yesterday I forgot to buy bread!!! I didn't know that there will be a curfew, so I went to the main street wishing to find the baker shop opened…I was so thankful that the shop was opened I also went to buy a box of cigarettes from a small shop inside the neighborhood and the bastard sold it to me much higher than its real price, he is seizing the chance and making use of the situation!! But I bought it in case the curfew will be continued after Sunday; I don't want to stay without cigarettes.
I finally knew what was wrong with my Internet...it was my Internet grid...it was damaged by a bullet or a shell...I'm so glad that I have an old one that I was able to use although it's not good but at least it is working!
We had electricity for two hours today and the water is a bit better than yesterday.
while I was writing this update I heard a jet fighter and then there was a bombing...it was a bit loud and seconds later my friend in Adhmiya called me and he was asking if it was near me because it is so loud from his position so I think it was in Kathomiya....and here is another one another bombing by a jet fighter at this moment....WOW,here is another one...it has been like this all day...jets bombing...bullets...explosions and the annoying thing is that I don't know where exactly and what really happened.

*Update* Day 5

At about 2am last night I woke up on the sound of a very fierce confrontation…there was no millisecond without a bullet and it was so so near, then helicopters started to fly over the area but they didn't shoot so I think they didn't have a clear target…the confrontation continued for about half an hour and suddenly it stopped and it was silent again and we were able to get back to sleep.
Today was a lot better than the days before…it was a bit silent and we had about 6 hours of electricity and the water was good.
AlMaliki said while he was meeting some of the tribes' Shaikhs in Basrah "The armed groups that fight the government forces are worst than AlQaida, they are acting according to foreign political interests that tries to make the political experiment in Iraq fail….we were talking about AlQaida while there was who are worst than AlQaida among us, in fact they created AlQaida…..We blame ourselves and take responsibility for being easy with them while the armed militias grew stronger…we have been tolerant and endurance for so long and I believe we are responsible…we were supposed to say NO from the beginning and stand for it….We didn't come to basrah to be against a political current or a specific party because we don't want to interfere in politics through a military confrontations"!!!! when and how did you become so smart Maloooki? What happened to you? Where is the old Maliki we know? I'm afraid the he have multiple personality disorder…but If he means it then that's great although there is nothing easier than talking big words…trust can't be gained like this and that fast.
In Baghdad there have been confrontations in over 13 districts mainly Sadir city and Palestine St.
And now Muqtada announced his willing to negotiate with the government but at the same time Muqtada asked his followers to surrender and give up their weapons only to a government that can take the occupation out, but AlMaliki promised that the security forces will continue fighting the outlaw militias in Barah till the end despite the thousands who went out in protests asking Maliki to resign in Sadir city and Kathomiya…While there were protests in Basrah but to support the government and people were saying and carrying sign "Yes, yes to the law"….also I heard some unconfirmed information that the SWAT team in the ministry of anterior have hanged and then burned 5 people in Karbala…and that 45 police officer have joined AlMahdi army.
Joad AlBolani the minister of anterior have announced that the operation is going as planned and that anyone (in the ministry) who will not do his job well…will face justice.
And now I have just heard in the TV that the curfew will continue till further notices!! I just want to know how people are supposed to live! I thought that there will be curfew and I bough food supplies but what about those who weren’t ready? How about the poor people who earn their living by their daily work? How can they buy food? What will they do and what will they eat? I'm so sick of sitting home and the fuel for the generator will be finished soon, I feel like a prisoner but I will endure it and I'll be so glad and happy if in the end there will be something good for the Iraqis, if there will be less killing, kidnappings or explosions, if Iraq and Baghdad is militias-free…for that I'm ready to be a prisoner in a hole for a year, I really do.

*Update* Day 6

Today's morning my door bell rang and it was my neighbor which is a very old women and she lives alone, she asked me if I can go to the market and buy some food supplies for her, I really felt sorry for her because she have no one to help her so I decided to go and help her and on my way I can buy things for me.
I went to the market and I was surprised to see that most of the shops are opened and there were a good number of customers, but few things to buy!! There is absolutely no single vegetable to buy there…I couldn't even find one leaf of lettuce, no meat, no eggs I could only found bread and canned food…I heard that I might find eggs but the box is sold for 25,000 ID that's about 21$!! It was sold for 4,000 ID before the curfew that's about 3$...I got back and bought everything I though she will need from the things I could find.
Today there were fewer explosions that I could hear and fewer helicopters flying in the air. In the market I talked with many shop owners and customers about the situation…most of them were worried about the people with the daily wage and how could they survive and they were also worried about themselves because they will finish what they have soon if the curfew continued and they would have to close their shops…They were also worried that goods will be depleted from the market and people will not have anything to eat but all of them were eager to see the end of AlMahdi army and all the militias, all of them were eager to see the end for the violence and safety back in Baghdad and all Iraq…all of them were ready to die in hunger if the criminals, gangs and militias are finished off and by the way the market I went to is in a Shiite area and most of the people are met are Shiites…one of the shop owners said" if this curfew continued we will die in hunger" I told him " No you will not…you can eat anything and survive, but you will not survive if you were targeted by a militia" he nodded his head and said" you are so right, son…hunger can be tolerated but we had enough of violence, we had enough of sectarianism" I smiled at him and said "well said"….while I was getting back home I was hearing people talking with each other about what will happen and whether will the government draw back at the last moment! They were eager to know what will happen.
The news today was very contradictory and one can't really know what will happen or what has happened but I strongly believe that there are many things being done also UNDER THE TABLE….
Muqtada made an announcement through his spoke man in which there were 9 points and I'll mention them briefly:
1-Stop all armed confrontations.
2-The government should stop the random arrests and targeting the members of AlSadri current.
3-Release all the prisoners who weren't convicted especially from AlSadri current.
4-We are not responsible for those who carried their weapons and fought the government, and we are irresponsible for anyone who continues to do that.
5-We are ready to help the security forces and back them up.
6-AlSadri current do not own any heavy weapons.
7-Returning all the displaced residents due to the recent events back to their homes.
8-Considering the human rights in the security procedures.
9- Completing and starting projects that help the Iraqi people and the Iraqi infrastructure.
And I noticed that he never mentioned the word "Jaish AlMahdi" he never did in his announcement.
So now we have Muqtada saying that he had nothing to do with anyone raising weapons on the security forces and he had nothing to do with the criminal gangs…and the one who follows me should drop their weapons to preserve the Iraqi's lives and Iraq's union!! Muqtada, haven't you said yesterday that you will drop the weapons only to fair government that can take the occupation out? What happened to you? Are you that silly and such a weak personality…at least keep your word for two days! But why wondering you have been like this since you were born…you were called Muqtada Play Station before the war because you loved it so much and had a Play Station shop in Najaf and now you tell your followers that it's a sin to play with Play Station.
And we have Ali-Aldabag (the Iraqi government spokesman) saying" The ones who will not obey Muqtada is trying to scar his image…so the government is forced to apply the law on the ones who don't obey the government and Muqtada"!!! he also said "Muqtadad's announcement is showing his responsibility and as a government we see this effort beneficial to Iraq, and the government is welcoming this announcement"!!!
And one of Muqtada's spokesmen announced that the negotiations is going very well and it will lead to end this conflict…Do you know where did this meeting took place? It was in Qoum…yes, it was in Iran (headquarter of the current Iraqi government).
It rained mortars again on different parts of Baghdad including AlKarada wich was targeted with 5 mortars, while the minister of health said that announcing the number of casualties is of the ministry's competence only?? And now the procedure of giving up the weapons to the government and receiving the money reward has been announced: the owner of the light and medium weapons should attend by him self and receive a receipt so that he can get his reward later as for the heavy weapons owners they should inform the nearest checkpoint about it and they should accompany him to give it up and receive a receipt also.
I'm so extremely angry, I'm so sad…why did all those people died (whom number isn't announced)…they died for nothing…we have been trapped in our homes for nothing…many Iraqis went through a humanitarian crisis for nothing…but majority of them were so ready to tolerate all this and even more if AlMahdi army was destroyed or at least pursued.
Nice work Maliki…you fooled us again, you killed so many Iraqis for your and Iran's interests…can't you be ashamed of your self for once, yesterday you were so determined on finishing AlMahdi army and saying that they are the worst and worst than AlQaida and you blame your self for that and now you agree to negotiate and you finished everything and agreed to release their prisoners? Damn it, I feel so sad and silly because I believed you once despite knowing what you really are…you convinced us…you are a great actor…I just want to know what did we gain now…you controlled all Iraq after these curfew days and the Iraqi army was doing great and so close to finish AlMahdi army but I strongly believe you don't want that….I think I know what was the cause of this now…I think AlMaliki and Muqtada had a dispute and they disagreed on something and Muqtada though that he is stronger then AlMaliki wanted to show him that he is the strongest and he is the boss and Muqtada should always obey and fear him…so it's just a show business nothing more, nothing less, and now Muqtada is convinced that Maliki is stronger and AlMaliki also knows that Muqtada can really cause troubles if he wants...it's a children's fight...and now they are back to what they used to be brothers in destroying Iraq and killing Iraqis.

AlMaliki is a joke now…even in the news the presenter was announcing the last news which was about a high ranked Iranian official called AlMaliki "dear and honorable" and she laughed in a sarcastic way.
I'm afraid that the coming days will the worst…I believe there will be so much innocent's blood in the streets.