The United States and its “American democracy” were in an extremely awkward situation against the backdrop of the many-thousand-strong and democratic protest against the American occupation.
The anti-American rally began on the morning of Friday, January 24th. On the streets of the Iraqi capital, the slogans “Down with the occupier” and “Yes to independence” do not subside.
The number of protesters totals tens of thousands. Among them are women and children. Representatives of pro-Iranian units of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Force also joined the protest. At the same time, the initiator of the action was one of the leaders of Iraqi Shiites, a political and religious leader Muktad al-Sadr. In connection with the rally, local authorities tightened security measures in the city, and even blocked traffic in the Jadiriya area.
As News Front previously reported, at the end of last year, a military base was deployed in Iraq, where an American armed forces contingent is deployed. This led to the death of a US citizen. At the same time, the United States responded by staging a punitive action by striking at the facilities of a Shiite formation and explaining this as “containing Iran.”
This entailed an unprecedented wave of anti-American protests in Baghdad. Then the protesters even nearly burned down the US embassy. And after the assassination of Iraqi Iranian General Kassem Suleimani, Baghdad began to demand the withdrawal of the American occupation contingent from its territory.