Posted on 09/11/2011 11:03:30 PM PDT by Eleutheria5
BAGHDAD -An anti-American cleric is urging his followers to stop attacking U.S. troops in Iraq so that their withdrawal from the country isn't slowed down, a call meant to ramp up pressure on Baghdad's political leaders who are considering asking some American forces to stay.
In a statement posted on his website, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr told his militias to halt attacks against U.S. forces till the withdrawal is finished at the end of the year as required under a security agreement between Washington and Baghdad.
"Out of my desire to complete Iraq's independence and to finish the withdrawal of the occupation forces from our holy lands, I am obliged to halt military operations of the honest Iraqi resistance until the withdrawal of the occupation forces is complete," al-Sadr said in the statement, posted late Saturday. Sadrist lawmaker Mushraq Naji confirmed the statement on Sunday.
However, al-Sadr warned that "if the withdrawal doesn't happen ... the military operations will be resumed in a new and tougher way."
The statement followed last week's notice by U.S. officials in Baghdad, announcing the start of the withdrawal.
There are currently about 45,000 U.S. forces in Iraq.
.....
Officials in Washington say President Barack Obama is willing to keep between 3,000 and 10,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.....
After more than eight years of war, many weary Iraqis are ready to see U.S. troops go, and staunchly defend their national sovereignty against an American force they see as occupiers. Al-Sadr's followers vehemently oppose a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq, and walked out of last month's meeting where political leaders decided to open the talks on having American troops stay.
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(Excerpt) Read more at aolnews.com ...
Yes, Sadr wants us out quick so he can consolidate his power. Does he want to be the big cheese, or is he closely allied with Iran’s objectives?? Meanwhile, we are discussing with Kuwait the possibility of leaving a quick reaction force stationed there.
Also, I saw a very interesting TV report a few nights ago about the restoration of part of the Iraq marshes, the return of wildlife, especially birds, and the desire to develop a national park and tourism there.
That place is going to hell as soon as we are out of there. A civil war, followed by another dictator(who will be hostile to us) will probably be the result. We’d be just as well off to nuke the place on the way out.
I’m holding out hope that you’re wrong. They had some fine moments while we were occupying them, mixed in with the usual mob violence and terrorism, and they’ve had one man, one vote, more than one time.
Muqtada al-Sadr, thanks Eleutheria5.
Thanks gleeaikin!
Muslim culture demands dictators.
We should accommodate them.
Muqtada al-Sadr didn’t have a Please, thank you or kiss my ass.. just get out!!!..
This speaks to the heart of Islam and muslims in general..
Kind of like welfare hood rats.. or the English or Europeans in general..
I think, unfortunately, that we just made the world safe for shariah there. If we had not permitted the Iraqis to enshrine Islam in their constitution, but had insisted that they adopt a genuinely secular state model, the outcome might have been different.
But instead we ended up empowering people like Mookie and the islamist ideology behind him.
Vote here is yes.
... and they’ve had one man, one vote, more than one time.”
Wish we could get that over here!! ;-)
in part, he’s trying to avoid getting suddenly dead; but I think you’re right, mostly he’s acting as the proxy for Iran that he has always been. Thanks glee’.
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