U.S. Set to Confront Radical Iraq Cleric

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031015/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_sadr&cid=542&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - U.S.-led authorities in Iraq are preparing to confront — and perhaps arrest — a militant Shiite Muslim cleric whose militia has battled both American troops and moderate Shiites in recent days, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

The officials said they are growing increasingly worried that the cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, is a threat to the U.S.-led military coalition occupying Iraq. However, the Americans also want to avoid touching off rioting or other violence by moving against al-Sadr.

Al-Sadr's followers have engaged in deadly gunbattles with other Shiite groups and American troops in the past two weeks, most recently in the holy city of Karbala south of Baghdad on Tuesday.

U.S. officials believe al-Sadr's actions require a response, said a senior defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. What that response will be is something that will be determined over the next few days, the official said.

The official suggested other Shiite groups or Iraqi security forces also could deal with al-Sadr on their own.

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[Maple]

1. If they mess with

al-Sadr it will be like throwing gasoline on an open fire.

[bowens43]

3. But you know they're going to do it.

This administration doesn't make a move , unless it's the wrong one.

[cprise]

2. But

...is he a threat to Iraq?

Or is this a question that gets the same priority as the subject of Iraqi casualties.

[Walt Starr]

5. al Sadr is an imminent threat. He has programs to develop

Weapons of Mass Destruction. Missile programs. 20,000 liters of Anthrax. There is evidence he has sought Uranium from Niger.

We must take out this tyrant.

We will assimilate the Shias. Resistence is futile.

[paulk]

11. I guess it depends on your definition of threat

the guy's a radical Islamist, backed by the most conservative elements in Iran. His is a minority faction within the Shiites, unfortunatly well armed, however.

I'm sure the majority of Iraqi's would rather not be governed by his "government". Google his name - he's bad news.

[karlschneider]

4. Bush and his gang of thugs are fucked either way. If the CPA

arrests or harms al-Sadr, there will be open revolt. If they ignore him, he will grow his own coalition and there will be open revolt. The only alternative is diplomacy. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...like THAT's gonna happen. :grr:

[Tempest]

6. A great way to get the current factions to work together

Working together against the U.S., that is.

Oh well, * did say he was a uniter.

[RedEarth]

7. Perhaps this is why these troops were recently deployed..

This morning I posted a discussion about recent troop deployment. Perhpaps they were sent to take down al-Sadr.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=536586&mesg_id=536586

[neverforget]

8. And this is going to help us in Iraq?

But Bush said everything is fine and the media is focusing on the negative. :eyes:

[starroute]

9. Al-Sadr could set the entire Middle East ablaze

Here's an article from a few months ago (August 5) that suggests the archetypal depths he's drawing on:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/EH05Ak04.html

Last Thursday, about 10,000 young men reportedly showed up in the holy city of Najaf to join the "army of al-Mahdi". The volunteers had responded to a request by Muqtada al-Sadr, a 30-year-old anti-American cleric with an expanding following among the dissatisfied Iraqi Shi'ites. The cleric has been trying to establish himself as the leader of the Iraqi Shi'ites since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime.

His army is named after Mahdi, the 12th Imam of the Shi'ites, who is believed to have disappeared about 1,200 years ago. Being a descendent of the Prophet Mohammad, the imam will reappear to save the world when corruption and oppression dominates, according to the Shi'ite faith. His reappearance will therefore end tyrannical and corrupt regimes. This concept of the promised savior (or messiah) has existed in other religions and different Islamic sects in various forms. Al-Sadr's choice of name for his army indicates his intention to capitalize on this belief's message, ie, fighting the oppressors, now symbolized by the US occupying force. According to some reports, an additional reason for this naming could be a belief among some of al-Sadr's followers who consider him as a Mahdi.

Using this concept to rally people around an anti-occupation movement was tried in another Islamic country, Sudan, in the late 19th century. At that time, a cleric, Mohammed Ahmed, declared himself the long-expected Mahdi and united the Sudanese to fight the Egyptians and subsequently the British, who became the de facto colonial power. The poorly equipped and ill-trained Mahdi army's capture of Khartoum guarded by the well-trained British troops was a major defeat for the British in 1885 and who restored their power only 13 years later.

[Fenris]

10. This could not end well

For either side.