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MEMRI Daily: February 24, 2011

The following is research published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series and the MEMRI TV Project. *Special Dispatch Series Inquiry & Analysis No. 671—Iraq Iraq Enters a State of Turmoil; Mass Demonstration Planned for 'Friday of Rage' By: Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli* Recent events in the Middle East and, in particular, the ongoing violent suppression by the Qadhafi regime of the revolt in Libya, have attracted most of recent media attention, while the brewing turmoil in Iraq appears to have remained below the radar. But a big shock may be in the offing. Throughout February, there have almost been daily demonstrations in many Iraqi cities, , mostly nonviolent, except for the demonstrations in the last few days in the city of Suleimaniya in the province of Kurdistan in which two have died and 124 have been injured. All the as-yet-local demonstrations were against the widespread corruption at all levels of government and the security forces; high unemployment; rising prices of food supplies; and poor public services, particularly the severe shortage of electricity and inadequate supply of potable water. Corruption in Iraq has become legendary. A week ago, the Integrity Commission announced that it was suing hundreds of government employees for embezzlement of $30 billion. Shortly thereafter, the Iraqi Parliament appointed two special committees to investigate the "disappearance" of $41 billion from the Iraqi Development Fund. It is possible that elements of the two figures overlap, but the order of magnitude of the corruption is stirring the Iraqi street, which is clamoring for change. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5040.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3616—Libya/Inter-Arab Relations In Arab Press, Harsh Condemnations of Al-Qadhafi, Calls for His Ouster The escalating fighting in Libya between Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi's opponents and the military and security forces, in which hundreds have been killed and wounded, has sparked intense reactions in the Arab countries, which hurried to renounce Al-Qadhafi and his regime. Convening on February 22, the Arab League suspended Libya from all of its forums and institutions, and the League's secretary-general, 'Amr Moussa, demanded a halt to the violence in Libya. Editorials in the Arab press harshly condemned Al-Qadhafi and his tactics, such as the use of fighter jets against the protesters. They encouraged the Libyan people in their revolt, and called on the world to intervene and put an immediate end to the deeds of the Libyan authorities, terming them crimes against humanity. To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5039.htm. Special Dispatch No. 3615—Egypt Members of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Explain Why Iranian Warships Were Allowed to Pass through the Suez Canal, and Say: Mubarak Has No Immunity Following are excerpts from a program members of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which aired on Dream 2 TV (Egypt) on February 21-22, 2011. To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2822.htm. General Mukhtar Al-Mulla: "We defend the constitutional legitimacy, which is [in] place for the benefit of the people. When the people said that they wanted change, we found ourselves in the midst of a conflict between the supreme commander of the armed forces, who is the president, and the demands of the people. When we reached the conclusion that the people's demands were legitimate, meriting the respect of the armed forces, we announced, more than once, that we supported these legitimate demands." […] To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5038.htm. *From the MEMRI TV Project MEMRI TV Clip No. 2824 - Aesha Al-Qadhafi, Daughter of Libyan Leader: "I Am an Ambassador of Goodwill – With or Without the UN" Following are excerpts from an interview with Dr. Aesha Al-Qadhafi, daughter of Libyan Leader Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi, which aired on Al-Jamahiriya TV on February 23, 2011. To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2824.htm