No peace in Basra despite Sadr call

[Nitrogenica]

Source: The Austrailian

HOPES for a ceasefire in Iraq's developing Shia civil war were swiftly undermined yesterday when the Government said it would not stop attacking outlaw militia members, despite an offer from militia leaders to freeze the conflict.

Fierce fighting went on in areas of Basra loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr, despite the rebel cleric's call to his militiamen to put down their weapons.

Sadr's statement was hammered out in elaborate negotiations over the past few days with senior Iraqi officials, some of whom travelled to Iran to meet the Shia cleric, according to several officials involved in the discussions.

In Baghdad, mortars continued to slam into the Green Zone government compound.



Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23461871-2703,00.html

[ShockediSay]

1. How can we "win" a war amongst

indigenous factions of a civil war?

Impossible, Mr McCain!!!

[alfredo]

2. Shit. what a horror bush and cheney have unleashed.

[ohio2007]

3. Iraq: Sadr party faces rising isolation ( militia isn't winning hearts and minds in the south )

BAGHDAD - Iraq's major Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parties have closed ranks to force anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to disband his Mahdi Army militia or leave politics, lawmakers and officials involved in the effort said Sunday
Such a bold move risks a violent backlash by al-Sadr's Shiite militia. But if it succeeds it could cause a major realignment of Iraq's political landscape.

The first step will be adding language to a draft election bill banning parties that operate militias from fielding candidates in provincial balloting this fall, the officials and lawmakers said. The government intends to send the draft to parliament within days and hopes to win approval within weeks.

"We, the Sadrists, are in a predicament," lawmaker Hassan al-Rubaie said Sunday. "Even the blocs that had in the past supported us are now against us and we cannot stop them from taking action against us in parliament."

Al-Sadr controls 30 of the 275 parliament seats, a substantial figure but not enough to block legislation.

Al-Rubaie said the threat was so serious that a delegation might have to discuss the issue with al-Sadr in person. The young cleric, who has disappeared from the public eye for nearly a year, is believed to be in the Iranian holy city of Qom

snip


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080406/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_isolating_the_sadrists

?
wtf?
his own party leaders will have to travel out of country to meet him in person over developments not only in his Baghdad districts but in distant parts of Iraq ?


Why is he holed up ?


hmmm...

We will see how his base reacts to his own self imposed isolation.

He doesn't seem like a confident imam ready to become head holy man of all Iraq to me. How many seats will he hold after October if any young militia bucks start talking change to each other.

[gear_head]

4. I wouldn't expect there to be deal, until Sadr's forces ...

are dead or have run off.