Public fury over power outages poses test for Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Public fury over power outages poses test for Iraq
By KIM GAMEL and SINAN SALAHEDDIN
Associated Press Writers
Jun 22, 5:15 PM EDT

BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqis' tempers are rising with their thermometers over their government's failure to provide reliable electricity. And their thermometers have topped 120 degrees.

Billions of dollars have been spent trying to fix the grid since the 2003 invasion, but many Iraqis still get less than six hours of electricity per day - about the same or sometimes even less than they received under Saddam Hussein.

Fears that frustration could lead to bloodshed were realized Saturday in the hot and humid southern oil port of Basra, where two protesters were killed after a demonstration over power outages turned violent, prompting security forces to open fire.

The crisis has already led to the electricity minister's resignation and poses a major test for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as he struggles to keep his job amid bickering over the formation of a new government more than three months after national elections. It also complicates efforts to stabilize the country as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw its forces by the end of next year.

"The current government has had four years to build and rehabilitate the power stations, but apparently the officials did not nothing but make false promises," said Ali Sami, a Baghdad taxi driver who had to take his baby to the doctor for a heat rash last week. "It is clear that billions of dollars were spent on nothing in this country."