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Article: Iraqis riot for 2nd day to get pay Claim stipend, but U.S. says Saddam backers behind unrest
- Article from:
- Chicago Sun-Times
- Article date:
- October 6, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2003 Chicago Sun-Times. (Hide copyright information)
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BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Hundreds of men claiming to be former Iraqi
soldiers converged at a U.S. base in Baghdad and in the southern city
of Basra on Sunday, demanding financial assistance in a second day of
violent protests.
The unrest reflected growing tension over the high unemployment
rate in Iraq after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's military,
formerly a major employer.
When Saddam's army was disbanded in May, the U.S.-led Coalition
Provisional Authority decided to give one-time stipends of $40 to the
estimated 440,000 conscripts in the former military.
The idea was to tide the soldiers over until new jobs ...