Very Mixed News With Al Sadr

[Kathianne]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080808/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr reorganizes militia

By BUSHRA JUHI, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 38 minutes ago

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered most of his militiamen to disarm but said Friday he will maintain elite fighting units to resist the Americans if a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is not established.

The statement — read to worshippers during Friday prayers in Baghdad's former militia stronghold of Sadr City — is in line with details revealed earlier this week and appears to be an extension of plans he announced in June aimed at asserting more control over the militia.

"Weapons are to be exclusively in the hands of one group, the resistance group," while another group called Momahidoun is to focus on social, religious and community work, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.

He said the announcement was particularly aimed at members of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which has been blamed for some of the worst violence against American troops and rival Sunni Arabs.

Thousands of worshippers streamed out into the streets after the Islamic service, burning an American flag and shouting: "No, no to America. No, no to occupation."

The cleric has linked the reorganization of the Mahdi Army to U.S.-Iraqi negotiations over a long-term agreement that would extend the American presence in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year. Al-Sadr and his followers want the deal to include a timeframe for an American withdrawal and have warned they may not suspend operations without such a clause.

Several cease-fires by al-Sadr have been key to a sharp decline in violence over the past year, along with a Sunni revolt against al-Qaida in Iraq and a U.S. troop buildup. But American officials still consider his militiamen a threat and have backed the Iraqi military in operations to try to oust them from their power bases in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq.

The fighting cells will be "small and limited" and will only launch attacks under direct orders from al-Sadr in case of "dire necessity," the cleric's spokesman Sheik Salah al-Obeidi told The Associated Press in the holy city of Najaf.

He also ruled out attacks on Iraqis and claimed Mahdi Army members had shown interest in making the program a success...

[retiredman]

Sadr remains a powerful force, and he remains a popular Iraqi shiite leader. He will be a thorn in our sides until we leave, and then, when we do, he will be a driving force to strengthen the alliance between Iraq and Iran... which I have always believed is the elephant in the living room that the republican party refuses to acknowledge, let alone talk about.

[red states rule]

Sadr remains a powerful force, and he remains a popular Iraqi shiite leader. He will be a thorn in our sides until we leave, and then, when we do, he will be a driving force to strengthen the alliance between Iraq and Iran... which I have always believed is the elephant in the living room that the republican party refuses to acknowledge, let alone talk about.

Mr Defeatest still hoping things will fall apart in Iraq. Damn, you gotta love the support the far left shows the troops and their own country

[Kathianne]

Sadr remains a powerful force, and he remains a popular Iraqi shiite leader. He will be a thorn in our sides until we leave, and then, when we do, he will be a driving force to strengthen the alliance between Iraq and Iran... which I have always believed is the elephant in the living room that the republican party refuses to acknowledge, let alone talk about.

Then again, like so many of your prognostications you could be wrong again.

[retiredman]

Then again, like so many of your prognostications you could be wrong again.

so many? can you tell me many that I have been wrong about?

and what will YOU do if I am right? What will your party do when it becomes crystal clear that the biggest result of our extended war in Iraq is an alliance between Iran and Iraq, when such would not have been possible if we had kept our eye on the prize and fought Al Qaeda instead of Saddam.

[red states rule]

Then again, like so many of your prognostications you could be wrong again.

Like the surge was a waste of resources?

[red states rule]

so many? can you tell me many that I have been wrong about?

and what will YOU do if I am right? What will your party do when it becomes crystal clear that the biggest result of our extended war in Iraq is an alliance between Iran and Iraq, when such would not have been possible if we had kept our eye on the prize and fought Al Qaeda instead of Saddam.

Your main answer to the Iraq war has been proven wrong

[Kathianne]

so many? can you tell me many that I have been wrong about?

and what will YOU do if I am right? What will your party do when it becomes crystal clear that the biggest result of our extended war in Iraq is an alliance between Iran and Iraq, when such would not have been possible if we had kept our eye on the prize and fought Al Qaeda instead of Saddam.

November should clear that fog up. It's not mine to do. My guess, presidency is now up for grabs. Dems win in Congress. Some compromise will be necessary, though hardly what you are advocating regarding drilling.

[retiredman]

November should clear that fog up. It's not mine to do. My guess, presidency is now up for grabs. Dems win in Congress. Some compromise will be necessary, though hardly what you are advocating regarding drilling.

where are the many prognostications that I have missed?

[red states rule]

where are the many prognostications that I have missed?

The US was losing the war

The surge was a waste of resources

The US needs to surrender and cut and run

The troops are occupiers and infidels

[retiredman]

where are the many prognostications that I have missed?

::: crickets chirping :::

still waiting

[red states rule]

::: crickets chirping :::

still waiting

Afraid to respond to my answer?

Kathianne is not online. You are such a tough guy when the person you repsond to is not around to answer

[retiredman]

This message is hidden because red states rule is on your ignore list.

I get the sense that you seem to be unaware of this. I am holding fast to that status and will continue to do so as long as you are unwilling to apologize and CEASE your attacks on my patriotism and my service. I have no idea what you are saying, but, given my history with you, I have no doubt that your posts immediately following mine are, in some way, a response to those posts. Please understand that I am not reading them, nor will I EVER respond to them until such an apology via PM is forthcoming.

[red states rule]

This message is hidden because red states rule is on your ignore list.

I get the sense that you seem to be unaware of this. I am holding fast to that status and will continue to do so as long as you are unwilling to apologize and CEASE your attacks on my patriotism and my service. I have no idea what you are saying, but, given my history with you, I have no doubt that your posts immediately following mine are, in some way, a response to those posts. Please understand that I am not reading them, nor will I EVER respond to them until such an apology via PM is forthcoming.

You are reading them. Everytime I post a new thread, or make a post, I see you checking it out on the "Who's Online" screen

If you choose not to repsond that is your choice.

[retiredman]

This message is hidden because red states rule is on your ignore list.



maybe you didn't understand me the first time. I really do not read your posts and recommend that you reply to folks who will engage you in conversation. I will not.