Shiite Militia in Baghdad Sees Its Power Ebb

nytimes ^ | July 27, 2008

[flyfree]

BAGHDAD — The militia that was once the biggest defender of poor Shiites in Iraq, the Mahdi Army, has been profoundly weakened in a number of neighborhoods across Baghdad, in an important, if tentative, milestone for stability in Iraq.

It is a remarkable change from years past, when the militia, led by the anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr, controlled a broad swath of Baghdad, including local governments and police forces. But its use of extortion and violence began alienating much of the Shiite population to the point that many quietly supported American military sweeps against the group.

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki struck another blow this spring, when he led a military operation against it in Baghdad and in several southern cities.

The shift, if it holds, would solidify a transfer of power from Mr. Sadr, who had lorded his once broad political support over the government, to Mr. Maliki, who is increasingly seen as a true national leader.

[flyfree]

ping

[SandRat]

I Love it when the NYT heroes are losing.

[Admin Moderator]

Please do not continue properly excerpted articles in responses on the thread. Thank you.

[doc1019]

?

[doc1019]

Please do not continue properly excerpted articles in responses on the thread.

Your post makes absolutely no sense. Please clarify. ;-)

[AndrewB]

Thank you,oh Lord Obama for pacifying the Mahdi Army with your mere presence.

[Mr. Lucky]

Punish Doc for his insolence.

[goldstategop]

I'm bawling my heart out for poor Mookie. You know - he kind of overreached himself!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[doc1019]

Not so much insolence as a request for clarification. What the heck was the Mod trying to say?

[Admin Moderator]

Not being the Mod originally on duty, please allow me to clarify.

Do not attempt to circumvent FR excerpting rules by posting an article, in whole or in part, as a reply.

[Mr. Lucky]

I dunno.

[doc1019]

Thank you … now I understand the Mod post.

[doc1019]

;-)

[doc1019]

I don’t ask much … just a crumb here, a piece of bread there, a clarification now and then. ;-)

[Mr. Lucky]

Personally, I thought it was a good question.

But when they come for you, I'll remember nothing.

[kinghorse]

Let’s see, a new sharia sword to beat about my head and shoulders until I bleed on muslim all devils day or a new 52inch plasma TV with satellite reception? Decisions decisions.

[kinghorse]

Oh and they better hav better security for Al-Maliki than was provided for Anwar Sadat or this will be a shortlived peace. That guy has delivered.

[doc1019]

Snicker, snicker … I understand. LOL!

Look, I appreciate the Mods. They are the glue that holds this site together. However, if they post, that post must make sense. I have been hammered on many occasions
for not making sense by the others, including Mods … in turn, the Mods have an obligation to make sense. Anytime I have a question about anything a Mod says, I ask … and that was all this was about. ;-)

[elhombrelibre]

Better late than never NYT ping.

Who told the NYT the obvious? Who will tell the Chosen One the same?

Had Obama's strategic wisdom been followed Coalition Forces in Iraq would have experienced a Dien Bien Phu or Dunkirk instead of a success.

[Allegra]

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki struck another blow this spring, when he led a military operation against it in Baghdad and in several southern cities.

And ay carrumba, those were some wild times!

[elhombrelibre]

It all happened by magic, just ask Obama. The forces of nature, witchcraft, or some other force unrelated metaphysical aspects beyond the Coalition Forces and their fighting in the surge turned the situation around, so it is written and spoken by the sage and chosen one.

[elhombrelibre]

By the way, we know how to beat the insurgents and we know how to get rid of Obama. Just ask the GI’s in the hospital at Landstuhl, Germany - no cameras, no Obama. It's that simple.

[Allegra]

Just ask the GI’s in the hospital at Landstuhl, Germany - no cameras, no Obama. It's that simple.

Hey, yeah! Just tell ObamaRama that no cameras are allowed in the White House and he'll drop out of the race.

[elhombrelibre]

Maybe the McCain campaign needs to tell Obama that!

[elhombrelibre]

Today, I notice many stories on the wealth of Televangelists. Yet, hucksters such as Obama who offer up mere pish posh, metaphysical claptrap dressed up as deep thoughts, and garrulous gibberish cause the MSM to swoon with the naivete of a thirteen year old girl dating a Senior in High School. The MSM has is in the tank for Obama; it's thinking cap is off; it's lost the possibility of being perceived as unbiased or of being seen without an agenda.

[jveritas]

As we discussed before VICTORY cannot be hidden no matter how hard the defeatists try to hide it.

[elhombrelibre]

Now, they don't deny it. Now, they explain it as a result of factors unrelated to US and coalition forces efforts.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks:

Had Obama's strategic wisdom been followed Coalition Forces in Iraq would have experienced a Dien Bien Phu or Dunkirk instead of a success.

Caught McCain on the ABC Sunday morning Talk Show with G Steffie making the same points....did it well...

[elhombrelibre]

I bet I was up long before him (being on Central European time), so it only proves great minds think alike.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Ernest.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Had Obama's strategic wisdom been followed Coalition Forces in Iraq would have experienced a Dien Bien Phu or Dunkirk instead of a success."
Your being a little hard on the bozo. After all. The crowds of morons adore this jerk.

[Marine_Uncle]

I have yet to find some quality time to read with care the long article with excerpts from the Global Panel discussion you posted yesterday.
I just may print it out for a long term study. Just how secure is the future of uniting the whole of Iraq under one roof. That remains to be seen. They are all so new at this form of government where political parties can actually have some say in what they represent. And where the preferable way of doing business is sitting at tables to discuss issues as apposed to hiding in holes for fear of retribution or all out gang warfare.
I continue to believe a key factor shall be found in somehow setting the stage for key oil and gas and other industries to do business with Iraq.
If no one is threatened to be left out of the money pocket, it may just be sufficient to override their long time mistrust among major religious/tribal differences. How nationalistic are the majority of Iraqi. Do they and their elected political parties have the will to see a united prosperous Iraq emerge out of a long nightmare of subjugation and poverty. Only time will provide an answer.
And for a question I have raised in the past. Just what percent of Iraqi favor working for a living verse simply being on the hand out side.
For so long the ills of Marxism have permeated the Islamic world. Can a nation arise that actually represents in some form what the European and new world nations have been able to achieve. Peoples who have an invested interest in their country and neighborhoods seldom want to destroy, loot and kill others for the sake of some ill driven religious concepts.
We have to wean them off the social/Marxist model.