Posted on 03/30/2008 4:24:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The leader of Iraq's Mahdi Army Shia militia ordered his followers to cease fire yesterday, raising hopes of a halt to the fierce internecine clashes with government forces that spread across the country from Basra last week and threatened the security gains from the US military "surge".
The cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said in a statement issued in Najaf: "Because of the religious responsibility and to stop Iraqi blood being shed ... we call for an end to armed appearances in Basra and all other provinces. Anyone carrying a weapon and targeting government institutions will not be one of us."
Despite Sadr's apparent move back from the brink, British officials said the defence secretary, Des Browne, was expected to put further cuts in British troop numbers in southern Iraq on hold when he makes a Commons statement on the Basra situation tomorrow.
Although Sadr linked his ceasefire call to renewed demands for an end to "illegal arrests" of his supporters and implementation of an earlier prisoner amnesty, a relieved Iraqi government was quick to applaud the shift. "This is a positive statement. We welcome it. We believe this will support the government of Iraq's efforts to impose security," said Ali al-Dabbagh, a spokesman for Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister who had personally commanded the surprise crackdown on the Mahdi Army in Basra seven days ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
That marks the third time since the formation of the Iraqi government that Mookie backed down. Sounds like he could just be wacked with very little downside (beyond the howls of protest from Tehran).
We should have let the Marines do this fat crapbag either of the two times they had him trapped back in 2003 and 2004. Backing off this Iranian sockpuppet has caused us unending agita and has gained us nothing in return.
How true. Doesn't he do this all the time.
100 more says he pulls his eye out through his nostril. LOL
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I expect ol' Mookie was scratching the back of his neck quite a bit....
JDAM-targeting pipper burns...
I s'pect....
The Telegraph reported today that the Iraqi army has been getting its ass kicked by the Mahdi army - attacks repulsed from Mahdi strongpoints, low morale, etc. It said that Maliki’s support has evaporated because he staked his office on this offensive and it has failed.
That is the exact opposite of what the UK Telegraph reported today.
He does this whenever his fighters are losing.
Work to assure that victory will never again be possible, i.e. cut the armed forces to a domestic force. Tyrants will be able run free.
Yes. And we pay him a few $M for his weapons and a few $100M for “reconstruction”.
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