Foreign Policy: This is the relationship of Saudi Arabia to the protests in Iraq

In an article published today, Foreign Policy said that the protesters are tired of corruption and foreign influence, and talked about Saudi Arabia's attempt to benefit from it through the use of social media, and considered that the removal of a popular military commander from his position was one of the factors that led to its outbreak.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to stoke these tensions, which it sees as an opportunity to topple what it considers an Iraqi government loyal to Iran, writer Ahmed Twaij said.

He adds that Riyadh has started using communication platforms to perpetuate violent protests in Iraq, and robots or software have been set up to target Western media, and tweets posted by pro-Saudi users to promote slogans "Save the people of Iraq, get Iran out" despite the Internet blocking in Iraq. The kingdom, which has used communication platforms to hunt down dissidents and dissident activists, is trying to spread and promote anti-Iranian sentiment in Iraq.

The protests are also witnessing a remarkably strong Shiite presence, with some slogans expressing strong dissatisfaction with Iranian interference in Iraq, similar to the sentiments expressed by protesters who attacked the Iranian consulate in Basra last year.

The situation in Iraq is deteriorating rapidly, and Iran is not the only target.

One diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said rockets fired into Baghdad's Green Zone that hit areas near the US embassy - while blocking the Internet - indicate that the protests have begun to target any foreign intervention, whether Iranian, American or Saudi.

Championship .. Corruption
The transfer of Lt. Gen. Abdulwahab al-Saadi, who was one of the most prominent leaders of the Anti-Terrorism Service (the Golden Division) with contributions to the war against ISIS, to an administrative post at the Defense Department's Imamate Department late last month angered many of his supporters and provoked bloody protests. Neither the country nor the region have seen it for years.

Saadi led the Golden Division, which was tasked with standing on the front lines throughout the military campaigns in Mosul, fighting only under the Iraqi flag, according to the writer, compared to the Popular Mobilization Forces supported by Iran and fighting frequently under sectarian flags.

According to the article, al-Saadi's presence in the front lines in Mosul and his contribution to rid Iraq of the Islamic State resulted in the title of national hero of his supporters, especially when compared to the politicians who control the Green Zone in Baghdad and who are widely seen as corrupt and helpless. A statue of Saedi was also erected in Mosul, which hails its liberation.

The writer said it is likely that the receipt of Saadi and his team repeated training by the coalition forces bothered the Iraqi elite loyal to Iran.

He points out that the SPLA units were trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and its commander, General Qasem Soleimani.

US Embassy
Concerns about Saadi's close relationship with the US military were exacerbated when it emerged that he had visited the embassy in Baghdad, where he says he "made one visit to the US embassy in Baghdad to obtain a visa to talk about terrorism at Harvard."

Growing fears of Saadi's relationship with the United States - and possible pressure from Iran - have led him to move from his counterterrorism position to an office job.

The move could point to an effective dismantling of the Iraqi army, where the PMU is seeking to increase its influence across the country, perhaps through a pro-Iranian military offering to replace Saadi.

The article adds that the government may have been afraid of a coup d'état, given its understanding of Saadi's military strength and its widespread popularity.

Saadi resorted to the media to reject the move to remove him from office, describing the government's abuse as "insult and punishment", according to the article.

At the end of the article, he describes what he calls the "disqualification" of his post, which was met with great anger among Iraqis, where young people responded to take to the streets and means of communication to express their rejection of this step. Numerous social media posts in support of Saadi's team have spread its profile, as well as messages of support across the country.