Tweets from across Borders Fanning Flames in Iraq

Since two months ago, all the evidence showed that the foreign enemies of the Iraqi nation are after stirring tension and unrest in the Arab country, an expert on Iraqi issues Hassan Abdi wrote for the FNA.

A data analysis of the messages shared on the cyber space indicates that the recent wave of unrests in Iraq is being manipulated from outside.

Media directors from abroad are materializing their objectives and enforcing their will through infiltrating agents and ignorant participants.

At first, the unrest broke out with rallies held by college and university graduates protesting against unemployment and bad economic situation in Iraq.

But soon afterward, the rallies expanded, in a way that turned the issue of unemployment as the number-one demand of rallies which was later extended to cover other issues like the lack of decent public services such as running water, electricity, gas, urban services, et cetera.

Although the street protesters make up a low percentage of the entire Iraqi population and they may not exceed a few thousands in number, their demands, which are to combat unemployment and create economic prosperity, are the genuine demands of a larger population.

On the other hand, a survey of tweets released online shows that approximately 80% of these tweets are spreading fake news and originate from outside Iraq. These findings demonstrate, however, that the foreign players are manipulating developments inside Iraq.

In such a poisoned atmosphere, on the one hand, Iraqi people are on the field as real protesters, and on the other hand, the seditionist enemy (Israel and the US) is also acting between the lines on the middle of the field dominating intellectual, practical, and news spheres to influence masses. It should be noticed that after meeting less-important objectives like disrupting the situation in Iraq and weakening the current administration, the enemy will be after its main and short-term objective which is consolidating the status of the “Deal of the Century”. The Iraqi government and political elite should work hard to not let the enemy achieve its goal because the foes will give up following the current mayhem if they sense that they are moving away from their goals.

This is one side of the story, and on the other side is the Israeli support for the designers of this sedition. A while ago, the Iraqi government had announced that it was Tel Aviv which targeted the positions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq. The announcement implicitly relayed this message that the Resistance Front had put the issue of serious fighting against Israel on the top of its agenda.

In such a situation, the US and Israel do not want to have the PMF in the line of groups directly confronting Israel, and they are making efforts to incur a considerable cost to Iraq in return. The enemy is seriously afraid of this, because the PMF has the capacity to become a major player in the confrontation with Israel.

Therefore, the US and Israel are seeking to strengthen the “Deal of the Century” and to make it a costly confrontation for opposing Israel. The US is now sending this message to Iraq, "If you want to confront Israel, it will cost you a great deal.”

The other noteworthy issue is that driving a wedge between the Iranian and Iraqi nation is a new policy of the enemy.

The existence of common ties in social, religious, sectarian and economic areas has enhanced relationships between Iran and Iraq to their highest levels in recent years, which has caused concern and fear among some groups and countries in the world.

Now, these groups are making round-the-clock efforts to create rift, grudge and animosity between the people of the two countries. It seems that after the US humiliating defeat in convincing Iraqi parties and government to joint anti-Iran sanctions, now the US has run out of patience. Now vicious enemies have got united in a concerted joint effort to influence the Iraqi public opinion to sow hatred and hostility between Iranian and Iraqi nations.

These days, a quick survey on the social media of the enemies of these two countries shows that foes have geared up for a new round of devil measures which are mostly based on lies and aimed at creating division between the two nations.

Regardless of anything, interactions, ties and unity between the Iraqi and Iranian nation will help both countries make progress and move forward. Undoubtedly, strengthening cultural, social, business and art ties will bolster relations between the two nations.

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