Posted on 05/04/2010 2:27:27 PM PDT by mainsail that
BAGHDAD | A once-feared Shiite militia that was crippled two years ago by defections and a U.S.-Iraqi crackdown has quietly started to regroup, adding street muscle to the Shiite party that emerged strongest from Iraq's parliamentary elections.
The revival of the Mahdi Army, loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, could be an ominous sign. An al-Sadr spokesman says the force is gearing up to ensure U.S. forces stick to a Dec. 31, 2011 deadline to withdraw from the country threatening attacks on American troops if they stay past the date.
In the near-term, Sunnis fear the militia will turn its firepower against their community in vengeance after an uptick in militant violence against Shiites in recent months, a move that could revive the fierce sectarian bloodshed that nearly tore the nation apart in 2006 and 2007.
Al-Sadr disbanded the militia in 2008. But his spokesman, Salah al-Obeidi, told The Associated Press that it has now officially been revived.
The militia's armed wing, called the "Promised Day Brigade," will "prepare quietly to launch qualitative attacks against the occupiers (U.S. forces) if they stay beyond 2011," he said. "It will have a big role to play to drive them out of Iraq."
In a show of the movement's new boldness, al-Sadr offered to help Iraqi security forces who have almost no visible presence in their eastern Baghdad stronghold protect Shiites after a wave of bombings April 23 targeted their places of worship. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki did not respond, and a top aide, Ali al-Adeeb, expressed doubt that the government would accept the offer.
(Excerpt) Read more at aurorasentinel.com ...
The chubby dental floss poster boy is back...
The withdrawal plan needs to include a provision that Al-Sadr is escorted to his appointment with the 72 ugly virgins before the troops withdraw.
We should have done that a few years back and blame it on an errant missile.
The trouble with Sadr gearing back up is that he likes to launch big stuff onto the bases.
I wish they'd just kill that piece of vermin.
whenever you smell Shiite, look to Teheran...
Why the US did not take that idiot out when we had the chance I do not know. He is only going to cause trouble and get Iraq aligned with Iran. Then we are in big trouble, with Iraq, Iran, and Syria having an alliance.
Keep your head down.
We will regret not taking him out during the many battles we fought against his psychos. Now the Shia parties have formed an alliance http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/05/201054195022810454.html and we know which way they look for inspiration.
God be with you, dear Allegra!
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