Iraq's Sadrists protest against US military deal

AFP ^ | May 30, 2008 6 hours ago | AFP

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Thousands of supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrated in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq after Friday prayers to denounce a government deal with Washington on US troop levels.

Followers of the anti-US cleric brandished placards outside mosques in their Sadr City Shiite stronghold in the capital as security forces stepped up their presence there.

A key member of the Sadrist movement, Sheikh Mohannad Al-Gazawi, denounced the proposed deal that will extend the US troop presence in Iraq beyond 2008.

"This agreement binds Iraq and gives 99 percent of the country to America," he said.

The faithful carried placards slamming "the disastrous agreement that tears Iraq apart and gives in to the occupying power." Another said: "This agreement surrenders the sovereignty of Iraq."

Protesters burned an effigy of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as well as a US flag before dispersing peacefully after about an hour.

In Kut, 175 kilometres (109 miles) south of Baghdad, hundreds of Sadrists staged similar demonstrations.

In the southern city of Basra, the spokesman for the Sadr bloc in the Baghdad parliament, Nassar al-Rubaie, joined a protest there, correspondents said.

Friday's demonstrations followed a call by Sadr to protest and force Baghdad to abandon its proposed deal with Washington.

Sadr said the proposed Status of Forces Agreement aimed to give a legal basis to US troops after the December 31 expiry of a UN mandate defining their current status, and was "against Iraqi national interests."

"After every Friday prayers, everyone must protest and demonstrate until the agreement is cancelled," he said in a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday.

Last November US President George W. Bush and Maliki signed a non-binding statement of principles for negotiations which began in March with the aim of concluding a pact by the end of July.

There are currently about 152,500 American servicemen and women deployed in Iraq, which was invaded by US-led forces in March 2003.

The proposed military pact has come under fire from other religious and political leaders, both in Iraq and in neighbouring Iran.

Fighters from Sadr's Mahdi army militia fought deadly street battles with US forces in the Shiite slum bastion of Sadr City in Baghdad for seven weeks until a May 10 truce took effect.

Iraq's national security council on Monday asked Maliki to ensure that the pact will not go against the national interest.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Demostrations bought and paid for by the Iranians....IMHO!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[EagleUSA]

Sadr is still alive. Iraq War mistake #2876.

Nuff said.

[avacado]

I guess the irony is loss on these fools that they can demonstrate against their government because of the Americans.

[DoughtyOne]

Absolutely right! I say toast him in Iran, then squash his cadre for the two bit thugs they are. Come out with a new deck and retire the top 52 a.h.s in it.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From al-Jazeera:

Iraq set for anti-US protests

Iraq set for anti-US protests

Muqtada al-Sadr has called for protests unless the
government abandons the deal [AFP]

Protests are expected to get under way in Iraq against a deal between Baghdad and Washington over the US's long-term military role in the country.

 

Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for the demonstrations after Friday prayers to pressure the Iraqi government into abandoning the proposed agreement.

Washington wants the Iraqi government to provide a legal framework for US troops to remain in Iraq beyond the expiration of a UN mandate in December.

 

Officials from the administration of George Bush, the US president, told Al Jazeera they expect to finalise the deal by the end of July.

Sheikh Salah Obaidi, spokesman for al-Sadr's bloc in parliament, said the call for protests is not a "threat" to the Iraqi government, but a "warning".

Al-Sadr on Tuesday warned the government against signing the agreement, saying "it is against the interests of the Iraqi people".

 

Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, another key Shia leader, spoke out against the agreement, saying it would violate Iraq's sovereignty.

 

Last week Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most revered Shia cleric, also reportedly expressed his anger, saying he would not permit the Iraqi government to sign a deal with "US occupiers" as long as he lived.

 

'No permanent bases'

 

The US government has said it will not seek permanent bases in Iraq.

 

In Video

David Satterfield, US state department advisor
Samir al-Sumaida'ie, Iraqi envoy to US

David Satterfield, a senior advisor on Iraq at the US state department, told Al Jazeera that the so-called Status of Forces agreement (Sofa) with Baghdad would address the issue.

 

"The Sofa agreement and the strategic frameworks agreement will make explicit that there is no desire for, indeed there is a rejection of permanent bases. We could not be clearer on this point," he said.

 

"We do not believe that there is a need for such bases."

 

Satterfield said that the US was conducting the negotiations with representatives of all the main leaders in Iraq.

 

'Iraq's need'

 

Samir al-Sumaida'ie, the Iraqi ambassador to the US, said the agreement was not intended to "tie the hands of any future government in Iraq or any future administration in the US".

 

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"It's a matter of the current need of Iraq," he said.

 

"Our obligation to our people is to protect their interests, the obligation of the US government is to protect the Americans.

"Where these interests coincide, then we can reach agreement."

 

Any prospective agreement can also be terminated two years after either party decides to do so, al-Sumaida'ie said.

 

However, in the US, the House of Representatives has adopted a bipartisan amendment requiring congressional approval for any proposed military accord with Iraq.

 

The move could prevent George Bush from approving the deal only months before leaving office.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This is the next trick from the Iranians who are trying to get an Iraqi Hezbollah organization setup...watch the Democrats seize upon this opportunity...

[SunkenCiv]

That’s too bad, we were really counting on their support. Oh well, we gave it our best shot. Better bring home the troops. ;’)

[Allegra]

Protest all you want, you terrorist, Sadrist scum. FREEDOM is calling the shots, has been calling the shots and if you haven't figured that out by now, you're stupider than I originally thought you were.

Bite it, terrorist vermin. You're done.

[piytar]

“Thousands of supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrated in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq after Friday prayers to denounce a government deal with Washington on US troop levels.”

Target rich environments — should have been hammered with every weapon available.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the Blogosphere (Strata Sphere):

Sadr’s Call For Friday Protest A Total Bust

***************************EXCERPT****************************

Published by AJStrata at 2:03 pm under All General Discussions, Iraq, Sadr/Mahdi Army

As I predicted a few days ago, Moqtada’s call for Friday protests by his followers has fallen way short of previous protests:

Thousands of people heeded a call from anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to protest talks between Washington and Baghdad on keeping U.S. troops in Iraq beyond 2008, but turnout on Friday was lower than past marches.

Explaining the relatively low numbers, spokesmen for Sadr’s movement said the protests were widely spread through the country but security forces prevented marches in some areas.

…

In the Kadhimiya district in northwest Baghdad, hundreds of demonstrators with raised fists marched behind a banner asking the United Nations to “stand with the Iraqi people against this security deal between the government and the occupation”.

…

In the Shi’ite holy city of Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, several hundred demonstrators marched, chanting: “Out, out occupier” and “Iraq won’t be an American colony”.

Actually, what lowered turnout was all the horror stories about atrocities committed against fellow Muslims by the Sadrist ‘controlled’ Mahdi Army thugs. Interestingly the media is avoiding talking about the level of protest in Basra - the first place liberated from the Mahdi Army and Iraq’s second largest city. My guess is the protests there were a total bust beyond all other locations. And this will be the high point for these kinds of demonstrations. They will taper off each week from now on.

More people are quietly celebrating the defeat of the Mahdi Army than worrying about any long term agreements between Iraq and America. While this was another missed opportunity for the SurrenderMedia to find evidence of our mythical defeat in Iraq, it is not a driving issue for war weary Iraqis who are not swarming to support Sadr and his Sadrists any more. Politically the Sadrist movement has been severely damaged because they gave cover to cruel and violent animals.

[tobyhill]

***”This agreement binds Iraq and gives 99 percent of the country to America,***

This means the US wins. In the old days the cost of losing wars was that land was given up by the losers in return for peace.

[Hamilcar_Barca]

The “Powerful Mahdi Army” as the liberal media likes to call them are now down to organizing a once per week street protest and I read on another site they’re planning a petition drive. I feel like I live in an occupied country. The news is so controlled and biased.

[SunkenCiv]

Explaining the relatively low numbers, spokesmen for Sadr's movement said the protests were widely spread through the country but security forces prevented marches in some areas... Actually, what lowered turnout was all the horror stories about atrocities committed against fellow Muslims by the Sadrist 'controlled' Mahdi Army thugs. Interestingly the media is avoiding talking about the level of protest in Basra -- the first place liberated from the Mahdi Army and Iraq's second largest city. My guess is the protests there were a total bust beyond all other locations. And this will be the high point for these kinds of demonstrations. They will taper off each week from now on... Politically the Sadrist movement has been severely damaged because they gave cover to cruel and violent animals.

Thanks Ernest.

[Marine_Uncle]

Cut the frigen water and electrical lines coming into Sadr City, Najaf, and the other key Shia operational centers for the Mahdi army.
Somebody should tell a few of these jerks that if the US forces withdraw, they had better watch their sixes. The Iraqi forces will not be so kind with any clowns getting out of line, and don't have the same ethnic standards our guys have to follow.