al Sadr Crafting an Iraqi Hezbollah?
Via email from a trusted source, a VOI account. It looks like al Sadr is going to continue his Iranian-backed insurrection against the Iraqi government:
If true—and apparently, it is—al Sadr is attempting to split and sanction a military wing off of the Madhi Army and Iranian "Special groups" to continue insurgent operations, while making at least a face-value attempt to demilitarize the organization. Intresting, isn't it? Iran tried to infiltrate Iraqi government at all levels, along with militia groups and criminal gangs. Obviously, as PM Maliki's clearing out of Sadrists from Baghdad to Basra proved, the government route has failed, and the militia route is on the ropes. As a result, al Sadr is apparently attempting to craft an Iraqi Hezbollah, entrenching his group socially as an Iranian-supported shadow government with it's own insurgent military wing. Iraq's security forces and government are far less fractured than those in Lebanon, so it seems unlikely that al Sadr's hopes will come to fruition, but the development does raise an interesting question, namely: is this the best Iran has left?
The anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr on Friday expressed intention to authorize setting up "cells
to resist the occupation", head of the political bureau of Sadr's
Movement said. "The declaration by Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr to form cells to resist the
occupation comes in full conformity with the approach of the
Sadrists," Sheikh Liwa Semaysam told Aswat al-Iraq- Voices of Iraq-
(VOI) on the phone. The key Sadrist leader added that these cells will "have a written
authorization by Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr to carry out their task, on
the condition that arms will only be in their hands for use against
the occupier and none else." Sheikh Semaysam, a close aide of Sadr, provided no further details.
Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 11:45 AM
Comments
1
Al-sadr must be killed.
Posted by: grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr at June 13, 2008 12:36 PM (gkobM)
2
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, perhaps the troops can use bullets coated in pig fat.
Posted by: C-C-G at June 13, 2008 06:16 PM (X5vKa)
Posted by: Gator at June 13, 2008 08:04 PM (uaTZE)
4
Kill Sadr now, not tomorrow, now.
Posted by: Scrapiron at June 13, 2008 08:21 PM (I4yBD)
5
We had our chance to take him down in 2004... the PTB decided not to as they didn't want to martyr (sp?) him... I got that from a guy who had Sadr in his Aimpoint... he was given direct orders to stand down. If we waste the Head Wierdbeard, the rest of the Turbaned Fuzzy-Wuzzys would just keep it up... it's sort of a game of "Religious Whack-a-Mole"...kill one and the next joker will pop up.
Posted by: Big Country at June 13, 2008 09:22 PM (niydV)
6
Sooner or later, Big Country, they gotta run out of people who are stupid enough to try and go against the US Armed Forces.
Posted by: C-C-G at June 13, 2008 09:34 PM (X5vKa)
7
Why the assumption that Maliki, who spent a few decades in Iran, and despite all his past statements, is not a friend of Iran's, or is a friend of ours? Why the assumption that Sadr, who did not spend a few decades in Iran, and despite all is past statements, is a friend of Iran's?
Posted by: cactus at June 15, 2008 06:07 AM (l3Fio)
8
"Why the assumption that Maliki, who spent a few decades in Iran, and despite all his past statements, is not a friend of Iran's, or is a friend of ours? Why the assumption that Sadr, who did not spend a few decades in Iran, and despite all is past statements, is a friend of Iran's?"
Because it is, in fact, about pliability. Malaki (being in power through force of US arms) is compliant, if irritating. Sadr would be wholly in opposition to US goals. The old colonial game of demonise the nationalist is at play once more.
Actual reality is pretty much irrelevant, we are talking PR here.
Because it is, in fact, about pliability. Malaki (being in power through force of US arms) is compliant, if irritating. Sadr would be wholly in opposition to US goals. The old colonial game of demonise the nationalist is at play once more.
Actual reality is pretty much irrelevant, we are talking PR here.
Posted by: Rafar at June 16, 2008 08:39 AM (ej9g/)
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