Once Again, Al Sadr Threatens To Cancel Cease Fire
Baghdad, Jan 19, (VOI) – Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr may reconsider his decision on freezing the activities of his Mahdi Army militia if he does not receive cooperation from the government, the leader’s official spokesman said on Saturday.
During the past two weeks, numerous committees from al-Sadr office visited several Iraqi provinces and found the central government holding on to “gangs which control the security apparatus” there, Spokesman Salah al-Obeidi told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).
“The security apparatus in these provinces have been found guilty of involvement in the displacement and killing of individuals, in addition to terror activities,” al-Obeidi indicated.
“If the government remains uncooperative, we will reconsider our freeze decision,” he added.
The spokesman explained that one of the main reasons that prompted al-Sadr to order the freeze was to help security forces regain control over Iraqi streets. “The presence of those individuals will induce the Iraqi street to hate the security apparatus and blame them for what happens in the provinces,” al-Obeidi said.
In late August 2007, al-Sadr announced the freeze of his Mahdi Army militia after bloody incidents in the holy city of Karbala, 100 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
The incidents, for which Mahdi Army elements were blamed, were followed by a wide-scale arrest campaign against the army’s fighters as well as Sadrists, or Iraqis loyal to the Shiite leader.
Commenting on the news, the New York Times said in its Saturday issue that al-Sadr “might allow his milita to become active at the end of February after a yearlong freeze.”
“Lifting the freeze could have troubling consequences for the American military, which has been able to use the calm to focus on those Shiite insurgents, most of whom it believes are linked to Iran, who have ignored the freeze,” the newspaper said.
“Since the freeze, the number of bodies found daily in Baghdad neighborhoods as a result of sectarian killings has dropped to about three after months of dozens being found,” the newspaper wrote.
Quoting al-Obeidi, the newspaper indicated that several Mahdi Army members “had been unfairly singled out and that many had been detained but not charged by members of the Iraqi security forces.”
“However, he said no final decision had yet been made to lift the freeze.”
“The decision to consider lifting the freeze came after a fact-finding tour by several high-ranking members of the Sadr organization in which they visited Samawa, Diwaniya, Kut, Amara and Basra, according to Mr. Obaidi. He said that for Mr. Sadr to remain credible with his followers, he has to stand up for them when they become targets,” it added.
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Since the situation in Anbar is becoming more stable and the Iraqi Police and Army are taking over, I am sure the Marines would like to finish the 2004 fight that he started in Najaf with this A$$ hole for good. I am sure hiding in a Mosque this time won’t do him $hit.
January 19th, 2008 at 10:59 pmProbably doesn’t appreciate Sunni IP putting the boots to his boys.
Bring it on, Mookie!
January 19th, 2008 at 11:07 pmSnake, I was going to suggest the same, speaking of mosk. Just wait until the Friday evening rant when they’re all together.
January 20th, 2008 at 1:50 amOoooh, he’s holding up a used AT-4 tube that looks like it has been laying in the mud for weeks. I feel threatened!
January 20th, 2008 at 6:52 amI wish somebody of sane mind could explain to me why this punk didn’t have a 50 caliber bullet between the eyes about four years ago.
January 20th, 2008 at 9:57 amBring it, mookie - the real “cease fire” will be issued just after a JDAM falls on you.
January 20th, 2008 at 10:18 am