Muqtada al-Sadr extends Iraqi cease-fire

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BAGHDAD - Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced Friday that he has extended a cease-fire order to his Shiite Mahdi Army by another six months, giving Iraq a chance to continue its fragile recovery from brutal sectarian violence.

His message was delivered by Shiite clerics during prayer services in mosques dominated by followers of the black-turbaned cleric.

"According to an order by Sayyid Muqtada, activities of the Mahdi Army will be suspended ... for another six month period," al-Sadr's aide Hazim al-Aaraji said, using an honorific for al-Sadr during his sermon at the Kazimiyah mosque in Baghdad.

Al-Sadr's decision to halt the activities of his powerful militia for up to six months last August was one of three critical steps widely credited with bringing the Iraqi death toll down more than 60 percent in recent months.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[PassingFair]

1. Why didn't our candidate bring this "cease-fire" up when asked about the "surge"

..at the debate last night?


"Al-Sadr's decision to halt the activities of his powerful militia for up to six months last August was one of three critical steps widely credited with bringing the Iraqi death toll down more than 60 percent in recent months."

The newsman put them on the spot for voting against the
"surge" when it has been such an ...

obvious success.

Why didn't they mention that Muqtada has had the Shiites in a stand down?

[halobeam]

3. thank you. I was screaming at the tv, exactly this point!

What a bunch of bs this is, people are being treated like idiots. Like one thing has nothing to do with the other. I'd like to know WHY our dems aren't bringing this up too! Seems almost complicit.

[leftchick]

4. seems?

because they are complicit. They treat "the war on terra" as totally legitimate and a reason to keep "support troops in Iraq to protect our vital national security interests". They think we are stupid.

[halobeam]

6. yeah, agreed

[CanonRay]

2. I wonder how much * paid him?

[annabanana]

5. And so the "surge" continues in it's inexplicable "success". . .n/t

[leftchick]

7. his peeps look none too happy about it.....

Iraqis burn the U.S. flag in Muqtada al-Sadr's stronghold city of Kufa, central Iraq, Iraq, after prayers Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced Friday that he has extended a cease-fire order to his Shiite Mahdi Army by another six months, giving Iraq a chance to continue its fragile recovery from brutal sectarian violence.
(AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

[mwb970]

8. Apparently 1 Sadr Unit - 1 Friedman Unit

activities of the Mahdi Army will be suspended ... for another six month period.

Iraq seems to operate on a calendar based on six-month periods, always beginning today.

[jtrockville]

9. Shia militia chief extends Iraq ceasefire

Source: TimesOnline (UK)

A pivotal ceasefire by thousands of Shia militiamen in Iraq was extended today for another six months, in a welcome boost for the US military and Iraqi Government.

Hojatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr, the powerful Shia cleric, commanded his al-Mahdi Army militia to retain the fighting freeze, which he first ordered in August and was due to expire on February 29.

The decision by al-Sadr ended weeks of speculation about whether the suspension would remain in place.

It is cited as one of three key factors that have cut violence across Iraq by more than 60 per cent over the past year, along with a surge of extra American soldiers and a decision by former Sunni fighters to rebel against al-Qaeda.


Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article3416435.ece

[Supersedeas]

10. how much was he paid this time?

[SquireJons]

11. Six Months, hmmmmm...

Let's see... March, April, May, June, July, August.... September! What a coincidence.

Can you say "Tet Offensive" boys and girls?

[ohio2007]

13. fighting in Iraq's summer is another reason to suspend his militia.

al Sadr isn't the big fish he thinks he is anymore.

Iraq militia on truce not target: U.S. general

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A senior U.S. commander promised on Saturday that U.S. and Iraqi forces would not attack Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army if it stuck to a ceasefire, after militia members expressed fears it was being exploited to target them.


snip

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080223/wl_nm/iraq_dc_20;_ylt=AtYkg2FGRroUWC1isg5Iy3NX6GMA

I wouldn't be suprised if mookie is done in by a loyal,honorable theif. The threat of an inside job may be a seed planted into his brain if internal rumblings question his authority.
Like Saddam, he wants to rule Iraq with an iron fist. Other Shia tribes are willing to slap him down as long as it can be done from behind a US shadow......
That crutch won't be around four more years in the current strength or form it is today.

[FVZA_Colonel]

12. The fact that the surge specifically and this war as a whole are essentially on the edge of a

precipice such as this doesn't seem all that good for the long term.