Sadr officials say the transition is partly in reaction to a time horizon for withdrawal of U.S. combat troops that is expected to be part of the long-term security deal between the U.S. and Iraq, which is close to being hammered out

I thought it was the hammering the JAM took from the IA, INP and US… Lord knows I saw enough of it first hand.

bnelson44 on August 4, 2008 at 9:52 PM

Remember, we nailed the Chicago mafia not for their illegal activities, but for their failure to report the income from those activities on their tax forms.

I would feel more joy myself if we got control of our own country and it’s borders.

MB4 on August 4, 2008 at 9:55 PM

Amen

From Michael Gordon, an important, though lengthy write up about trying to pacify southern Iraq and the political realities.

The Last Battle

The tug of war among the religious parties and the Shiite tribes has emerged as one of the most-significant b…

Will someone please kill this Sadr guy?

AbaddonsReign on August 4, 2008 at 10:06 PM

He is in Qom, one of the most holy Shiite cities in Iran and a city where many of their leaders live. He is held up in one of the most prestigious religious schools there. If we bomb him there, as you advocate, I think we would find ourselves at war with Iran and probably a good percentage of Shiites in Iraq too.

Hamas and Hezbullah both were in countries with a non-functioning governments. Maliki’s government is taking over the land. BIG difference. And the joy is in the difference!

bnelson44 on August 4, 2008 at 9:46 PM

I had more of a Maliki’s group as Islamic Hezbollah and Sadr’s group as Islamic Hamas model in mind. Water seeks it’s own level. Wait and see.

I would feel more joy myself if we got control of our own country and it’s borders.

Jihad is never over, correct.

So, Coalition, arrest Mookie and throw him in the clinker, like you should have done three years ago.

PattyJ on August 4, 2008 at 9:49 PM

Think of Sadr as a thug with a bunch of gangs. You get rid of them the way you get rid of the Mafia in Chicago. You go after them. That is what we did. “Jihad” was just a pretense for them to oppress their fellow Iraqis.

So, Coalition, arrest Mookie and throw him in the clinker, like you should have done three years ago.

Sounds like he is going to follow the Hamas model.

MB4 on August 4, 2008 at 9:44 PM

Pshaw! (sp?)

Hamas and Hezbullah both were in countries with a non-functioning governments. Maliki’s government is taking over the land. BIG difference. And the joy is in the difference!

amerpundit on August 4, 2008 at 9:34 PM

Two different schools which will probably clash when Sadr becomes an Ayatollah (which is a few years off)

Let me guess… the Iraqi version of the ACLU? He’ll do more damage that way.

Claypigeon on August 4, 2008 at 9:13 PM

I’m thinking more like ‘Code Pink’…only a less Anti-American version…

alphie on August 4, 2008 at 9:19 PM

Sistani’s called for the Mahdi Army to disband, says the law is the only authority, and supports Maliki in attempting to ditch it from the country. He’s been isolating Sadr in the past few months.