4 Iraqi provinces under 12-hour curfew

[Barrett808]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi authorities are ordering cars and people off the streets of Baghdad and three surrounding provinces on Sunday, anticipating a verdict in Saddam Hussein's trial.

The 12-hour curfew covers both vehicles and pedestrians and will run from 6 a.m. Sunday to 6 p.m., said a close aide to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and an Interior Ministry general. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

Beyond Baghdad, the curfew will apply to Salahuddin province, which includes Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, and the Sunni insurgent hotbeds of Diyala and Anbar provinces.

Baghdad was placed under a heavy security clampdown on Saturday, with additional road blocks, stepped-up patrols and all leave canceled for Iraqi troops.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061104/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_curfew

[NOLADEM]

1. They must be bracing for the flowers, parades and peace set to break out across Iraq

I am SURE that THIS is the corner that we need to turn.

:eyes:

Can't wait to see the floats in the parades tomorrow morning, after the kangaroo court issues its edict.

[LaBanty]

2. Damage Control

They probably expect riots to break out after the trial and are trying to minimize losses. There's a lot of Iraqis who want to see Saddam bite the big one, and if he doesn't they're going to feel like they were denied justice. The rest will riot because it's a national pasttime and they have a lot of reasons to be pissed off.

In any case, they probably want to see as little loss of life as possible if and when riots break out. Can you blame them? It isn't exactly Sesame Street over there.

[longship]

3. Verdict is going to throw Iraq into utter chaos.

I predict that the whole country is going to break into outright civil war.
This isn't going to be pretty. :cry: :cry:

Hate to be the benefit of this, but Dems will gain from this.
The reaction of the Iraqis is not going to be spinnable.