Comments on: Sadrist spokesman: Shiite clerics have told us not to disband the Mahdi Army

By: Immolate

Immolate — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:48:59 +0000

The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter if all of the clerics in Iran and every other cleric in Iraq says “Don’t disband”–if Sistani says “Disband” or something like it, then Sadr will have to comply or loose an insane amount of credibility with the Shia, and any chance of ever becoming an Ayatolla (except in Iran). So until I hear Sistani say it himself, I’m not buying it.

By: cs89

cs89 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:02:38 +0000

I think he’s giving himself plenty of wiggle room. Iran is calling the shots, he’s attributing it to Iraqi Shiite clerics (probably some of who say disband & some who say don’t, so he can pick which ones to highlight). Meanwhile Sistani maintains his version of “separation of mosque and state,” so he doesn’t knock Sadr over.

Will Maliki be able to force the issue? If so, Sadr will probably “consult” a bit further, and acknowledge clerics saying “disband” to give him cover. If not, he’ll maintain the militia, and continue to push it as far as he can without crossing the (always moving) line and getting whacked.

Dangerous game he’s playing there, for him, Iraq, and our troops.

By: bloggless

bloggless — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:44:19 +0000

I call him, Fang.

By: Hening

Hening — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:30:49 +0000

What a Shiite head you are, Mookie.

That jerk needs to be assigned an orange jump suit and spend some time chillin’ in the Caribbean.

By: labrat

labrat — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:50:21 +0000

This creep is not going to just step out of the limelight that easily – alive anyway. He’s eating up all this attention.

I think we’re beating a dead camel with this issue.

By: Tony737

Tony737 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:32:19 +0000

“Translation: The Iranian government will pull my funding and supplies if I quit. Shortly before they kill me.” – Hollowpoint

Exactly right, it’s like the mafia, you don’t leave the family (jihad), if you try to, you get whacked. This might be another reason why so many sunnis turned on a.q., they wouldn’t let ‘em quit.

O/T: I hope to meet some HotHeads today at the VFF rally in DC!

By: silverfox

silverfox — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:49:09 +0000

Mookie looks like a brain dead pirate from the Disney movie.

By: Hollowpoint

Hollowpoint — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:43:16 +0000

Translation: The Iranian government will pull my funding and supplies if I quit. Shortly before they kill me.

By: labrat

labrat — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:24:52 +0000

The freak-show that is Middle East politics.

By: Baxter Greene

Baxter Greene — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:22:46 +0000

Very good video contrasting the Generals on the ground to the people who seem to care about the people in Tibet,but not
the people in Iraq.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR8p0bro9RM

By: a capella

a capella — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:18:36 +0000

Mookie needs a dentist and some whitening strips if he’s going to play in the majors.

By: alphie

alphie — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:56:34 +0000

Aah, fuzzy-brained nation building.

So fun and easy.

And expensive.

By: Romeo13

Romeo13 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:52:41 +0000

Im sure there are some senior clerics who are telling them not to disband… but Im waiting for what Sistani says…

roblem is that Islam is not a monolithic religion… it does not have a Pope who has authority over all the sects and other Imams…

By: exhelodrvr

exhelodrvr — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:56:18 +0000

Good.

By: crosspatch

crosspatch — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:22:47 +0000

The word I am hearing pretty consistently from Iraqis is that the religious sects are losing support and the people are tired of the religious militias of all stripe. In fact, they are pretty much losing their enthusiasm for Islam altogether. It wouldn’t surprise me if Sistani could gain followers by simply stating he wants the fighting to stop.

By: Seven Percent Solution

Seven Percent Solution — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:05:22 +0000

……. “or see his supporters barred from public office.”

How about liquidated?

By: Limerick

Limerick — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:03:08 +0000

Pablo on April 7, 2008 at 11:01 PM

Great analogy…..I just wish it didn’t involve our blood in the sand in the meantime.

By: Pablo

Pablo — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:01:36 +0000

I wish I could believe that GW would act before he leaves, but somehow, after eight years of ho-ho-handshaking, I doubt he will.

That’s for Maliki to do. If we were going to do it, we would have done it long ago. But now, if it’s going to be done, and it’s going to be a “good” kill, it needs to be authorized by the leader of Iraq, who is conveniently Shiite. Think of it like a mob hit on a wayward family member. No one complains.

By: Good Lt

Good Lt — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:55:54 +0000

Aren’t clerics supposed to be peaceful religious leaders?

What the hell are they doing directing armed militias around?

Damn Christians.

By: Texas Gal

Texas Gal — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:55:23 +0000

The problem with Sadr is, I think, that we turned over sovereignty to Iraq before we dropped him. And I can understand the hesitation to kill him given his genealogical linage, he might have been more of a problem dead than alive. Keeping him alive and discrediting him, might be more valuable than killing him and making him a martyr. Nonetheless, he is a disgrace to his father.

By: atxcowgirl

atxcowgirl — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:45:39 +0000

I thought they had a warrant out for his arrest way back when. Why didn’t they take him out a long time ago?

By: danking70

danking70 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:44:44 +0000

Yeah, Iranian Shiites. We know.

By: Limerick

Limerick — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:44:39 +0000

I wish I could believe that GW would act before he leaves, but somehow, after eight years of ho-ho-handshaking, I doubt he will. There is a bit of hope that he’ll just take Cap’n Crunch out before he leaves in January, but just a wee bit.

By: Texas Gal

Texas Gal — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:43:45 +0000

Iraq’s Shiite clerical leadership

Evidently that’s not Sistani or they would have said so.

Sistani is on record, over and over again, that religion and government don’t mix.

By: Defector01

Defector01 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:40:04 +0000

Well now you die, sorry to disrupt your plans

and I hope now the US and the Iraqis realize it isn’t JUST SADR but its his entire cadre of clerics