Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish Parties Close Ranks Against Al-Sadr’s Movement in Iraq

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_ISOLATING_THE_SADRISTS?SITE=NVREN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
Associated Press Writers

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s major Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties have closed ranks to force anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to disband his Mahdi Army militia or leave politics, lawmakers and officials involved in the effort said Sunday.

We have Sunni,Shia,and Kurdish leaders working together to take down Iranian backed Sadr.

The Long War Journal: Ayatollah Sistani on the Mahdi Army: “the law is the only authority in the country”

Written by Bill Roggio on April 9, 2008 9:55 PM to The Long War Journal
Available online at: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/04/ayatollah_sistani_on.php

Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
With the Iraqi government applying pressure to the Sadrist movement and Muqtada al Sadr to disband the Mahdi Army, Iraq’s senior Shia cleric has weighed in on the issue. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the most revered Shia cleric in Iraq, backed the government’s position that the Mahdi Army should surrender its weapons and said he never consulted with Sadr on disbanding the Mahdi Army. Instead, the decision to disband the Mahdi Army is Sadr’s to make.

We also have one of the most powerful leaders in Iraq stand
with the government to shut down Sadr.

As Militias Roam Alleys, Iraqi Army Takes Brunt
April 11, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/world/middleeast/11sadrcity.html?ex=1365652800&en=ddc1dbaec2c4545f&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

But American commanders also see this as an opportunity to shift more responsibility to the Iraqi troops — in this case Iraq’s 11th Army Division, one of the newest divisions in the Iraqi military.
Whether they like it or not, Iraqi troops are hundreds of yards ahead of the farthest American position and in the thick of the fight.
“The I.A. needs to start doing it on their own,” Lieutenant Bowen, the 23-year-old commander of Third Platoon, Bravo Company, told a reporter who accompanied him on the mission, referring to the Iraqi Army.

We have the Iraqi army taking the lead in this fight.

Gen. Petraeus’ Testimony to the Senate Armed Services Comm.
By David Petraeus
General David H. Petraeus, Commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq
Testimony to Senate Armed Services Committee
April 8, 2008
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/printpage/?url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/gen_petraeus_testimony_to_the.html

Since September, levels of violence and civilian deaths have been reduced substantially, Al Qaeda-Iraq and a number of other extremist elements have been dealt serious blows, the capabilities of Iraqi security force elements have grown, and there has been noteworthy involvement of local Iraqis in local security.

Our military leaders on the ground in Iraq present fact after fact of progress in Iraq.

1200 people killed, wounded, or arrested in Basra

Baghdad, 04 April 2008 (Voices of Iraq)
http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/29433
Iraqi security forces killed or wounded at least 900 armed men, and arrested 300 others, since the beginning of the military operations in Basra, an official of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI) said on Thursday.
“Security forces killed more than 200 gunmen, wounded 700, and arrested 300 others, since the beginning of the military operations in Basra,” Major General Abdul-Kareem Khalaf, manager of the MOI’s National Command Center told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

We are inflicting major casualties on Sadr’s militia.

And as stated above, the people of Iraq are seeing their own
army step in and enforce the rule of law from the freely elected government.

Some people will ignore the enormous amount of progress
by pointing out “but there was a car bombing”type of violence that happens in Iran,Pakistan,Yemen,Indonesia and many other places around the world.
This defeatist mentality does not work on the Iraqi people,our military,and the people who support the War on Terror and know that we can win.

I think this Iraqi has got a good evaluation of the events in Basra:

NEW NOTES
http://messopotamian.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-notes.html
(The Mesopotamian blog: Alaa, Iraqi citizen)
Hi,

I was watching the Interrogation of General David Petraeus and the ambassador. What struck me most was the attitude and words from some of the Democratic senators. It seemed as though the enemy for these ladies and gentlemen was not Al-Qaeda, the terrorists or people like that. All the venom and harsh words were directed against the Iraqi government and poor Al-Maliki, these seemed to be the more hated foes for them. Not long ago we used to hear complaints that the Iraqi government was Shiite dominated and unwilling to take action against Shiite Militias and such groups as the Mahdi Army.

I think these Soldiers put this fight in the right perspective:

Michael Honeycutt: We must not leave the Iraqis vulnerable
By MICHAEL HONEYCUTT
April 13, 2008
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/17563309.html

I was on the ground in Iraq for 16 months, and in that time I talked to hundreds of Iraqis. Some didn’t like us; some wanted us to leave, but most did not. What they wanted was for America to live up to its word. They wanted us to rid the country of terrorists and militias so that they could live in peace.
They were willing to help us, but they are not a stupid people. They know that if they commit to the American side and the Americans abandon them as we did in 1991, it means death for them and their families. They know this, and it is real. It is not an abstract idea for them.

Great video of Iraqi Vet singing about No Surrender
http://www.militarytimes.com/multimedia/video/031208_marine_music

Baxter Greene on April 15, 2008 at 9:46 PM

Apparently the coalition forces did not get the memo that
Sadr had won in Basra:

Operation Charge of Knights Continues Progress in Basrah

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18492&Itemid=1

The operation, which began March 24, has now started the process of clearing strongholds previously dominated by criminal militias.
A deliberate house-to-house clearance operation of the south-western Basrah district of al-Qiblah was conducted without major incident. It resulted in significant quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives being found. To date, Coalition forces involvement has been minimal, reflecting the ever increasing ability and resolve of the Iraqi Security Forces to enforce the rule of law.
Iraqi operations in al-Qiblah to date have yielded an improvised explosive device factory, numerous weapons handed over by locals, or left in the streets, in addition to two significant arms cache finds with numerous IEDs, mortars and RPGs.
Operations have not been limited to Basra. A senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader was arrested at an Iraqi Army checkpoint in the small town of Abu al-Khasib 20 kilometers southeast of Basrah.

Baxter Greene on April 15, 2008 at 10:23 PM

This article is lying. Time clearly states today that,

“Sadr’s Mahdi Army has effectively stopped an advance by U.S. and Iraqi forces into its strongholds in Baghdad and Basra after weeks of fighting.”
blink on April 15, 2008 at 7:25 PM

Bwahahaha. “Time”, he says. Too funny.

Especially when the masthead of the Time “story” you cite says they’re in partnership with CNN, which gave Saddam’s atrocities a pass for a decade.

Try again, 182.

Del Dolemonte on April 15, 2008 at 9:20 PM

Sadr’s army has not stopped an advance by the coalition,we have achieved part of our goals and are changing tactics to achieve the rest:

US troops plan to stay put in Sadr City
Top US general says his aim is to push the 107-mm rockets being fired from Sadr City out of range.
By Jay Deshmukh

Baghdad, 15 April 2008 (Middle East Online)

US and Iraqi forces plan to stay put in a southern sector of Baghdad’s Sadr City where they are battling militiamen rather than push deeper into the Shiite bastion, a top US general said on Monday.
There are “no plans to go beyond where we are,” said Major General Jeffery Hammond, commander of US forces in Baghdad.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh on Sunday said that the operations launched more than a week ago would carry on until the sprawling district in eastern Baghdad is entirely cleared of Shiite gunmen.
“We will continue until we secure Sadr City. We will not come out, we will not give up until the people of Sadr City have a normal life,” Dabbagh said.
The security forces will “do what they have to do to secure the area. I can’t tell you how many days or how many months but they will not come out until they have secured Sadr City.”
Hammond, however, said the main aim of the push into Sadr City was to stop lethal rockets that are being fired from Sadr City towards the heavily-fortified Green Zone, the seat of the Iraqi government and US embassy.
“My aim is to push the 107-mm rockets out of the range,” Hammond told a group of journalists from Western media outlets on Monday.

Around 800 people have been killed since in firefights across Shiite areas.

A top American commander said future tactics to prevent rocket attacks, especially the 122-mm projectiles, would be driven mainly by “air support.”
“Any IDF (indirect fire) threat from Sadr City will be countered by air support,” he said.

Baxter Greene on April 15, 2008 at 10:34 PM