Scant support for Al-Sadr [supporters numbered at 150]

Smccdi ^ | 4/11/04 | Smccdi

[freedom44]

KERBALA - Tens of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims headed home on Sunday after a subdued religious festival overshadowed by a rally in support of a radical Shi'ite cleric and fears of Sunni militant attacks.

Few pilgrims voiced support for Sadr and his uprising -- the young cleric draws more support from poor, angry youths in the Baghdad slums than among the traditionalists in Kerbala.

Around midday on Sunday, as many pilgrims were leaving, about 150 people rallied in support of Sadr.

"We are supporting Moqtada because he challenged the Americans, the Zionists, and exposed the hypocrite Ayatollahs," said one, Morad al-Mohammadi from Baghdad's Sadr City slum.

In one street, where most windows were shattered and walls were pockmarked with bullet holes after fighting with Polish troops, locals shoved away a man chanting his support for Sadr.

"Go away from here, we have women and children," said one of the locals. "If you want to fight them, go fight them in your neighbourhood, don't fight in our city."

Iraqi police, whom U.S.-led forces had previously entrusted with keeping order during Arbain, were not seen in Kerbala after this week's clashes. Shi'ite militias and local guards, some employed by the clerical authorities, were patrolling streets.

Some clerical authorities expressed concern at the extra security risk created by the police abandoning their positions, but said pilgrims would continue to come to Kerbala to celebrate Arbain anyway.

"Thanks be to God that nothing has happened until now, but even if there were attacks people would come," said Afdhal al-Shami, head of security for Kerbala's Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines. "During Saddam's time people were tortured and killed to try to make them stop coming, but they still came."

[KC Burke]

I wish it was as simple as it is portrayed in this limited distribution site's citation of a Reuter's article.

I am pretty sure we have inflicted a few hundred casualities in Sadr's area of influence, so claims that he only mobilizes 150 apppear to be misleading.

Sadr needs to be taken off the field of play. Saddam needs a cell mate or, failing cooperation of surrender, other options are availible through the courtesy of the USMC or the Kurds.

[TomGuy]

Options and choices

Decisions, decisions

Easter egg hunt or rally for al-Sadr.

Chocolate Easter eggs or maybe a bullet in the brain?

'I got some choc-late!'

[AntiGuv]

OK, cool deal. Now that we've got that out of the way, I'll add that you're absolutely right. Sadr doesn't have widespread popular support and most Shia consider his militia a band of criminal thugs. I don't think this uprising has 'legs' either, so as soon as the US forces dispense with the conflict in Fallujah I'm sure it won't be long before they restore order in Najaf.

[somedaysoon]

What I find troubling is the Iraqi police who tuck their tails between their legs and run at any sign of trouble.

This needs to be addressed before June 30th.

[Rams82]

"What I find troubling is the Iraqi police who tuck their tails between their legs and run at any sign of trouble.

This needs to be addressed before June 30th."

Yes, but remember some have fought and died bravely.

[Rams82]

Many for that matter.

[Young Rhino]

What I find troubling is the Iraqi police who tuck their tails between their legs and run at any sign of trouble.

Maybe the UN can send in the French to teach them how to run away gracefully.

[gilliam]

What's extremely interesting is that Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani is not an Arab, he's Persian from Iran, and he's the most reverred Ayatollah in Iraq. So the mere fact that Al-Sadr is receiving funding from Iran shouldn't damage his credibility.

Sistani seems to have spent a lot of time in Iraq though. Both as a youth and as an adult. See his biography.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Few pilgrims voiced support for Sadr and his uprising -- the young cleric draws more support from poor, angry youths in the Baghdad slums than among the traditionalists in Kerbala.

It is not surprising that Sadr's supporters are mostly restless, uneducated, unskilled youths. These are people who could not make it in a normal society and they sense that so they do whatever they can to prevent peace and normality. Often such people live isolated in slums, although some of them join together in crime gangs. With Saddam, they had an opportunity to "be somebody" -- work as a torturer or executioner. Sadr offers this riff-raff a new opportunity -- they are given food and housing and the chance to appear as big shots. I think -- I hope -- that most Iraqis understand that if Sadr's thugs were to run off all foreigners, ordinary Iraqis would be the next target, just like they were under Saddam. Sadr is counting on keeping Iraq so dysfunctional that there will always be a plentiful supply of frustrated young men to be the new executioners/cannon fodder. That way, if Sadr kills enough people he will wind up on top and be the new dictator.

[johnb838]

out of 27 Million Iraqis, 150 Iraqis show support for Al-Sadr.

Next we're going to find out that they are sponsored by moveon.org and International A.N.S.W.E.R.

[shrinkermd]

"Few pilgrims voiced support for Sadr and his uprising -- the young cleric draws more support from poor, angry youths in the Baghdad slums than among the traditionalists in Kerbala. Around midday on Sunday, as many pilgrims were leaving, about 150 people rallied in support of Sadr. "We are supporting Moqtada because he challenged the Americans, the Zionists, and exposed the hypocrite Ayatollahs," said one, Morad...

This is a good place to start buying weapons and explosives. A no question asked buying spree by local authorities would be a boon to the local economy and diffuse tensions as well as reduce armaments. Not the only solution, but one that shouldn't be forgotten. Young men who can make money selling guns and explosives are going to pick the community clean.

[tessalu]

The USA has a cease fire with thugs to give them time to regroup and rearm. I feel that USA is not doing too well with commanders and advisers on the ground. I feel that they worry too little about the loss of American soldiers life, and more about fighting a PC correct war.

I would want to fight only if I had no doubt that my government was behind me supporting me. I love my country and its people.

[CalKat]

I think al Sistani is the biggest recipient of funds from Iran and he is highly respected. The Badr militia, which is aligned with al Sistani, is much much larger than Sadr's Madhi militia, and is funded by the Iranians.

[mrsmith]

Several hundred thousand pilgrims came to Kerbala and 150 rallied for Sadr. That's about .1% and that's a fair sign of his support. Estimates of his actual "army" have run as low as 500.

They were expecting 4 million pilgrims in Kerbala before Sadr acted up, Sadr has no doubt made himself intensely unpopular with Kerbala merchants.

[gilliam]

Sistani knows he has a place in the future government of Iraq. He will stay out of things for now.

[risk]

Here's the mass anti-US shia uprising we keep hearing about--- 150 people --- No Shiite ;)

Just when things look really dark, some Iraqi wanders up to a microphone and shows an incredible amount of bravery. Like this guy. Also, the "Challabi mercenaries" (i.e. Iraqi immigrants) who crashed an ANSWER demonstration in DC over the weekend to tell reporters that NION/ANSWER protests are a pack of lies.

These things do more to encourage Americans than a thousand acts of revenge.

[freedom44]

I hadn't heard about the Iraqi immigrants doing that, if you have the story link i'd love it.

thanks

[Travis McGee]

Several hundred of the hot heads are at ambient temperature today, and hundreds more have suddenly become family men.

[section9]

It's a political problem for the Iraqi police and the Army troops. They don't want to be seen as stooges for the Americans, nor should we want to have them seen as such.

Quite frankly, we don't want them shooting at Iraqis until the Americans are gone.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Jorge]

I love it.
CNN and the lib networks were portraying this as a massive widespread uprising of the Iraqi people against the American occupation!

So for the gullible Bush haters who believed the leftist media propaganda, they must now be amazed at how the Bush Administration officials in Iraq have seemingly succeeded at pacifying this massive uprising.