Posted on 01/02/2006 6:57:10 AM PST by Valin
Baghdad, 2 Jan. (AKI) - The Sunni Iraqi Islamic party is mooting a possible alliance in the country's first democratically elected permanent parliament with supporters of firebrand Shiite muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a party's spokesman, Ala Makki said on Monday, quoted by Iraq's Nina News agency. "There is much common ground on a number of national political topics between the two formations. This is why we are putting together an agreement to form a new alliance," said Makki.
The preliminary results of Iraq's general election, held on 15 December, show Sadr supporters taking as many as 31 seats in Iraq's 275-seat parliament. If the final results - now expected as soon as next week - confirm this, the Sadrists will be the single largest group in Iraq's democratically elected parliament.
Al-Sadr, who just one year ago, rejected the political process and encouraged his followers to kill US soldiers in Iraq, has transformed his following into a political force that observers say could significantly re-shape the new parliament. He fielded his supporters to run for parliament, but did not run himself.
The Sadrists took 30 seats in the election, running on the Shiite-dominated governing United Iraqi Alliance slate. They also gained a further seat by running on the separate Messengers ticket, according to the preliminary poll results.
On the strength of the preliminary results, Sadrists are demanding a say in who should be prime minister and in several key ministerial posts. They are also demanding that their militia become part of the government's security force. They are reported to have already hinted that if their demands are not met, they are prepared to leave the United Iraqi Alliance, dashing any hope of a unified government, according to observers.
Al-Sadr has presented himself as the voice of the poorest Iraqi Shiites who suffered the worst oppression during toppled dictator Saddam Hussein's rule. In Sadr city, a Baghdad slum named after his father, a senior Shiite spiritual leader who died at the hands of Saddam's regime, has a following of almost 2.5 million people, and has millions of supporters in the Shiite stronghhold of southern Iraq.
roflmao...
Okay, so it isn't exactly funny. But imagine how this news affects the Sunni claims of electoral fraud.
(In other words, who exactly defrauded who...)
Indeed! :-)
What we're seeing is down and dirty no holds bared politics.
Reminds me of a certain north american country in the late 18th early 19th century...or for that matter today.
F him... someone seriously needs to plug Sadr in the noggin.
Chicago???
Just kidding... I know Chicago's not a country. ;-)
He needs the special Pat Robertson treatment.
Pat Robertson treatment
?
We should have taken Sadr out while he was shooting at us.
They should have served that murder warrant on him. A fair public airing of the evidence against him and speedy Sharia justice would have done the country much good. Yes, his followers would have rioted and caused local messes. I don't think the PR would help his cause in the long run. As it is they've rioted the same without arresting the twit. Sure, the Iranian mullahs would dig out some other pawn, but they've invested a lot of effort in Sadr the lesser and any replacement will be well behind the curve.
Sadr in any position of power is a very bad thing. He formerly had little impromptu "sharia courts" where people would be pulled off the streets, tried, and executed.
The man should be on the same podium as Saddam Hussein, not in the government as a representative.
I am very worried that the US may have inadvertently put yet another fundamentalist Islamic government in power. How can one have a decent government with thugs like Sadr in charge? **Meet the new boss, same as the old boss**.
The Kurds are our only permanent friends in Iraq. The Sunnis hate us because we spoiled their party, and the Shiites will be constantly pulled by the siren song of Iran and a Sharia-state.
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