FOREIGN: Baghdad Wakes to Sounds of Helicopters, Talk of a People’s 'Revolt'

Baghdad woke Saturday to the early morning sounds of helicopters flying overhead, most of them heading in and out of the fortified International Zone after protesters defied bullets and tear gas to storm the area.
As they fled the gunfire and tear gas Friday afternoon, some carrying their injured friends across the bridge away from the IZ, the anti-government protesters vowed they would return – but with weapons.
Many are followers of Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who, like many of the political leaders in Iraq, has his own armed militia known as the Peace Brigades.
Sadr has come out in support of what he describes as the people’s “revolt” against the government.
Overnight, at least two large Chinook helicopters, typically used to ferry troops, were seen flying into the IZ under cover of darkness.
But by late Saturday morning most of the city had returned to normal.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi condemned the Friday demonstrations after the crowd broke into several government buildings, including the prime minister’s office.
“Storming into state institutions and tampering with public property cannot be accepted and tolerated,” Abadi said.
But Abadi’s leadership is seen as weak. His previous denunciation of protesters who forced their way into the IZ three weeks ago to take over parliament has been clearly ignored.
Squeezed by years of violence and a deepening economic crisis, Iraqis are fed up with government corruption and the leadership’s inability to protect them from repeated rounds of violence.
Friday’s demonstration followed a series of bombings in Baghdad that left more than 100 dead and hundreds more wounded; mostly Shi’ites from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.
Abadi’s attempts to ease tensions by restructuring the government have failed, and he has not been able to pull together the different political factions squabbling for power.