Al-Sadr Flees To Iran While House Debates Troop Surrender And Funding
Al-Sadr Flees To Iran
WASHINGTON -- Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr fled Iraq for Iran ahead of a security crackdown in Baghdad and the arrival of 21,500 U.S. troops sent by President Bush to quell sectarian violence, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
Al-Sadr left his Baghdad stronghold some weeks ago, the official said, and is believed to be in Tehran, where he has family. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. monitoring activities, said fractures in al-Sadr's political and militia operations may be part of the reason for his departure. The move is not believed to be permanent, the official said.
Word of al-Sadr's departure coincides with an announcement that Iraq will close its borders with Iran and Syria for 72 hours as part of the drive to end the violence that has threatened to divide the capital along sectarian lines.
The U.S. official said it is not clear how firmly the radical Shiite cleric is controlling his organization and the associated Mahdi Army militia from exile.
"The question for us is to what extent his organization is going to participate in the political process," the official said, referring to al-Sadr's on-again, off-again relationship with the fragile democratic government in Baghdad.
Al-Sadr's departure was reported by several television networks Tuesday.
Al-Sadr's militia is widely seen as the main threat to Iraq's unity and high on the list of targets for the Baghdad security operation.
A ragtag but highly motivated militia that fought U.S. forces twice in 2004, the Mahdi Army is blamed for much of the sectarian strife shaking Iraq since a Shiite shrine was bombed by Sunni militants a year ago. U.S. officials have for months pressed Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to move against the militia, but he has so far done little to comply, largely because he does not want to lose al-Sadr's support.
Al-Sadr rose from obscurity in the aftermath of the ouster of Saddam Hussein to lead a movement of young, underprivileged Iraqis united by opposition to U.S. military presence as well as hunger for Shiite domination.
The cleric, who is in his mid-30s, is a master of street politics, and his young lieutenants can rally tens of thousands of protesters at short notice. Once wanted in the 2003 killing of a key cleric, al-Sadr gained much influence when his parliamentary bloc of 30 of 275 deputies was instrumental in al-Maliki's election.
Dismissed by older Shiite politicians as a dangerous upstart, al-Sadr set up the Mahdi Army militia in 2003. It is suspected of being behind the abduction and murder of thousands of Sunnis in what are known as death squad killings.
Two key members of al-Sadr's political and military organization were gunned down last week, the latest of as many as seven key figures in the al-Sadr organization killed or captured in the past two months.
The deaths and captures came after al-Maliki, also a Shiite, dropped his protection for the organization.
Shiite leaders insist that the Shiite militias flourished because the U.S. and its allies could not protect civilians. They say if the Sunni insurgents were crushed, the threat from Shiite hard-liners would go away.
Shiite politicians have long maintained that Sunni militants pose a greater threat to Iraq's stability. Thousands of Shiite civilians have been killed in bombings and suicide attacks carried out by al-Qaida in Iraq and other Sunni groups.
Thousands regularly cross the porous Iraq-Iran border, and Iran has been a popular destination for elite Shiite Iraq exiles. In Saddam's time those exiles included al-Maliki, who like other educated and politically active Shiites feared for his safety in Iraq.
Story Here
Dems Push Anti-War Resolution, Stall Alternatives
Iraq To Close Borders
Democrats, Republicans Clash Over Iraq
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So while all this debate about Troop surrender and funding is going on in the House, The Beginning of the Troop Surge is happening, the gloves are off, Al-Sadr knows this and has fled to Iran! Gee anyone surprised that Sadr picked Iran to run to? Isnt it amazing that when this little Moron knows the Iraqi Army and the US and Coalition Forces have had enough of his crap, and they are out to get him, and he knows they will, he high tails it out of dodge? And all this while the Troops are watching the House of Representatives debate pretty much a vote of "No Confidence". Whatever Republican votes for this nonsense wont see one dime of my money for thier next re-election campain!!!
WASHINGTON -- Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr fled Iraq for Iran ahead of a security crackdown in Baghdad and the arrival of 21,500 U.S. troops sent by President Bush to quell sectarian violence, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
Al-Sadr left his Baghdad stronghold some weeks ago, the official said, and is believed to be in Tehran, where he has family. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss U.S. monitoring activities, said fractures in al-Sadr's political and militia operations may be part of the reason for his departure. The move is not believed to be permanent, the official said.
Word of al-Sadr's departure coincides with an announcement that Iraq will close its borders with Iran and Syria for 72 hours as part of the drive to end the violence that has threatened to divide the capital along sectarian lines.
The U.S. official said it is not clear how firmly the radical Shiite cleric is controlling his organization and the associated Mahdi Army militia from exile.
"The question for us is to what extent his organization is going to participate in the political process," the official said, referring to al-Sadr's on-again, off-again relationship with the fragile democratic government in Baghdad.
Al-Sadr's departure was reported by several television networks Tuesday.
Al-Sadr's militia is widely seen as the main threat to Iraq's unity and high on the list of targets for the Baghdad security operation.
A ragtag but highly motivated militia that fought U.S. forces twice in 2004, the Mahdi Army is blamed for much of the sectarian strife shaking Iraq since a Shiite shrine was bombed by Sunni militants a year ago. U.S. officials have for months pressed Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to move against the militia, but he has so far done little to comply, largely because he does not want to lose al-Sadr's support.
Al-Sadr rose from obscurity in the aftermath of the ouster of Saddam Hussein to lead a movement of young, underprivileged Iraqis united by opposition to U.S. military presence as well as hunger for Shiite domination.
The cleric, who is in his mid-30s, is a master of street politics, and his young lieutenants can rally tens of thousands of protesters at short notice. Once wanted in the 2003 killing of a key cleric, al-Sadr gained much influence when his parliamentary bloc of 30 of 275 deputies was instrumental in al-Maliki's election.
Dismissed by older Shiite politicians as a dangerous upstart, al-Sadr set up the Mahdi Army militia in 2003. It is suspected of being behind the abduction and murder of thousands of Sunnis in what are known as death squad killings.
Two key members of al-Sadr's political and military organization were gunned down last week, the latest of as many as seven key figures in the al-Sadr organization killed or captured in the past two months.
The deaths and captures came after al-Maliki, also a Shiite, dropped his protection for the organization.
Shiite leaders insist that the Shiite militias flourished because the U.S. and its allies could not protect civilians. They say if the Sunni insurgents were crushed, the threat from Shiite hard-liners would go away.
Shiite politicians have long maintained that Sunni militants pose a greater threat to Iraq's stability. Thousands of Shiite civilians have been killed in bombings and suicide attacks carried out by al-Qaida in Iraq and other Sunni groups.
Thousands regularly cross the porous Iraq-Iran border, and Iran has been a popular destination for elite Shiite Iraq exiles. In Saddam's time those exiles included al-Maliki, who like other educated and politically active Shiites feared for his safety in Iraq.
Story Here
Dems Push Anti-War Resolution, Stall Alternatives
Iraq To Close Borders
Democrats, Republicans Clash Over Iraq
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So while all this debate about Troop surrender and funding is going on in the House, The Beginning of the Troop Surge is happening, the gloves are off, Al-Sadr knows this and has fled to Iran! Gee anyone surprised that Sadr picked Iran to run to? Isnt it amazing that when this little Moron knows the Iraqi Army and the US and Coalition Forces have had enough of his crap, and they are out to get him, and he knows they will, he high tails it out of dodge? And all this while the Troops are watching the House of Representatives debate pretty much a vote of "No Confidence". Whatever Republican votes for this nonsense wont see one dime of my money for thier next re-election campain!!!
posted by Marie's Two Cents | 9:06 AM
24 Comments:
This non binding resolution is the democrat's Vietnam. They isolated Nixon politically and then cut off funding for the war as they insulted the troops. Sound familiar? Mercenaries, obscene amenities, lucky they aren't spit upon? I'm gonna have me a war protestor for breakfast some morning, Louisville slugger style. I hate them meeses to pieces!
OK Al Sadr, here's the Jennifer solution. You pay who ever it takes to find out where this guy is and you go in and take him out. This guy is out of Iraq and now he's fair game because just like they chased the original Ayatollah Khomeni out of Iran he came back and that was a complete disaster. Al Sadr needs to be taken out as soon as time permits. That's Jennifer's solution and that's what I learned from being in the military, no nuances, no weasel words just plain and simple thinking that takes care of the business at hand. Sorry I can't pass for a Persian even with a tall sized burqa but damn if I won't volunteer to help in some way.
It is interesting that al-Sadr runs to Iran to escape the possibility of being killed while at the same time he sends people out to be "martyred". Kind of a double standard, no?
Jenn,
I think it's funny Sadr slithered his way over to Iran.
That proves to me right there that the Surge is already starting to work. Especially the Iraqi Troops that can tell who's who and what's what!
Sadr and his bunch of crap know the gloves are off, there is no hiding in a Mosque this time, and he's toast if he stay's.
They are debating right as we speak in the House about this so called "Non-Binding" Resolution, but the Troops see this as nothing more than a Vote of "No Confidence".
Fortunately the Troops will carry on with thier mission and hopefully will ignore this madness going on at home.
We should go to Washington D.C. March 17, Jenn. The anti-war crud are going to try to deface the Viet Nam Memorial. I am going to do a post on this soon.
But the way you and I think so much alike I hope they are raising bail money for some of us lol.
It is interesting that al-Sadr runs to Iran to escape the possibility of being killed while at the same time he sends people out to be "martyred". Kind of a double standard, no?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exactly Anon!
Just thought I would give an update:
I was just watching Geraldo in Iraq with the 1st Cavalry, Geraldo interviwed like 8 Troops and they ALL said they want the chance to finish thier mission in Iraq. And they are NOT thrilled with this Resolution in Congress and they are going to continue this mission till it is done.
If I can get the video I will post it.
Al-Sadr is more bark than bite, but these guys lie in their sleep. I won't believe it til he's photographed standing next to A'jad, and maybe not even then.
BTW, Marie, I'm tagging you with one of those silly meme things. I don't normally do this, but I'm taking time out of my conservative duties of eating kittens to share my softer side. He he..
First, the Iranian Minister for Nuclear stuff catches a bullet to the head, then 11 more higher-up Iranians get bomb-blasted.
Hmmmm,...maybe Tehran isn't the best place for al-Sadr to run, huh?
I dont know A.C. I have always thought Sadr was behind alot of the "Made to look like Civil War" infighting between the Shiites and Sunis.
I could be wrong but to me, He looks guilty. When the US and Iraqi Troops started moving into Baghdad, and he knew the gloves were off of the US and Iraqi Troops, and there was no hiding in a Mosque this time he skidaddles outa dodge!
That tells me he was either affraid of getting killed or captured, or he was hiding something, or both!
You know the Surge has already started. And the US and Iraqi Troops are "Cleaning House" they injured that dude who took Al-Zarqowi's place, Al-Masri I think his name is, and killed one of his aide's. And the Iraqi Army has been busting people left and right. They are about to close the borders for a bit and I guess see how that works out (They should have done that a long time ago) and basically the Troops are kicking some butt!
I am tagged with what? lol
Well to make darn sure you dont munch down another kitten I better go over to your place and find out what it is you are up to ;-)
Trek,
Strange Indeed!
I just hope that little Moron stays there or at least out of the way from progress.
Did you ever see an exterminator come into a roach infested house. I saw them clean a block of rowhouses down in Philly one time and they pumped chemicals into the rowhouses that were going to be rehabbed. The mice, rats and roaches came fleeing out of that block of houses like their pants were on fire. Of course they were and the chemicals they took on their backs went to other colonies of vermin to also kill them. The fleeing Mahdi, Sunni and al quaeda guys remind me of that amazing scene I watched many years ago.
The democrats that are debating this resolution are nothing more than vermin themselves and they should be shunned by every American citizen that repects our men women that serve our country in uniform. How will the democrats remove the knife from the backs of troops this time? They never did remove the dagger of betrayal after Vietnam and democrats are always percieved to be against the military with good reason.
Marie, I will remember that I am a Christian and I will maintain decorum here on your blog because I respect you and the others here. My contempt for the democrats in congress cannot be expressed verbally so I will just say; I condemn every democrat and republican that supports the surrender resolution. I will spend the rest of my life dedicated to defeat democrats where ever they raise their ugly, contemptous and non binding heads.
Please do not ask me to respond to you today Mrs. Green.
Jenn,
I couldnt have said it any better myself.
I know how hard it is to contain yourself, me too. Us being ladies and all or at least trying to be.
But this has got me so damn steemed I am tossing out being a Lady anymore!!
Remember how proud you guys were of the Iraqis' purple fingers?
Well Al-Sadr's followers won 30 seats in the new Iraqi parliament due to those purple fingers!
It's awfully convenient for you guys to forget that Al-Sadr's party was voted in by way of George Bush's gift of democracy to Iraq.
Now you believe he and his followers should be assassinated?
Great democratic idea! Way to go!
Well, nobody said democracy is a perfect system. But if you were sad to see Saddam Hussein enjoying a long neck last month, its lack of perfection is a reason to retreat in the face of success.
That, and George Bush sucks.
Mrs Green,
Remember how proud you guys were of the Iraqis' purple fingers?
Well Al-Sadr's followers won 30 seats in the new Iraqi parliament due to those purple fingers!
It's awfully convenient for you guys to forget that Al-Sadr's party was voted in by way of George Bush's gift of democracy to Iraq.
Now you believe he and his followers should be assassinated?
Great democratic idea! Way to go!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How long did it take our Country to get a Democratic System that worked?
However we didnt have Radical Islamic Extremeists involved in the process.
We had to weed out those that didnt have America's best interest's at heart in the beginning also.
Same thing is going on in Iraq right now. A new fledgeling Democracy that is having trouble right at the start like we did and every single Country ever born!
If Sadr is a threat to the new Democratically elected Government of Iraq (And only they would know this for sure) if they have to get rid of his ass by any means necessary to have the Government they wish to have without his idiotic ass representing his people, I'm sure they can find another that will. And put that to a vote if need be. If the Prime Minister of Iraq percieves this loon to be a threat and says he needs to go, and want's our help to eliminate his ass then by all means dont you think we should help him?
It's up to the Iraqi's, maybe in the beginning Sadr looked as if he was going to be a productive member of Iraq society, but since the elections Sadr has proven to be a main character in the attacks on the people of Iraq. They may do things differently in Iraq than we do here but you cant expect them to be like America. Isnt gonna happen. But if the Iraqi PM insists the little idiot needs to go so be it!
Yes George Bush's idea of Democracy does work, it just doesnt look like America's and never will.
Yes Way to go Democracy!!
Uncle P,
Well, nobody said democracy is a perfect system. But if you were sad to see Saddam Hussein enjoying a long neck last month, its lack of perfection is a reason to retreat in the face of success.
That, and George Bush sucks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good point!
Oh yeah I forgot Bush Sucks. He is the Evildoer, the Devils Spawn, Hitler, a Mass Murderer, blah blah blah blah blah....
How long did it take our Country to get a Democratic System that worked?
Don't compare what's happening in Iraq to what happened to the US in 1789. There is no comparison. For one thing, when our Democracy was in its infancy, we did not have religious factions killing each other. For another thing, we were blessed to have Founding Fathers, the likes of which we haven't seen since. We had Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Frankline, Madison, Hamilton. Brilliant men of the Enlightenment. No such thing exists in Iraq. There, they have stone-age religionists blowing up each other.
And this sort of murder and mayhem did not happen in Japan at the end of WWII nor in Germany, where new democracies were encouraged.
The invasion of Iraq and the overthow of Hussein suppressed the minority Sunnis, who were empowered under Saddam and empowered the Shiites, who are also the majority in Iran. Getting rid of Saddam was a gift to the Ayatollahs in Iran.
George Bush kicked a hornets nests and didn't know what the hell he was getting into.
Mrs Green,
when our Democracy was in its infancy, we did not have religious factions killing each other
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My point exactly!!
Every single Democracy on the face of this earth did not get it handed to them they all had to fight for it, we had to fight for ours, every single Country has had to fight for thier Democracy and Iraq is NO different.
If you are going to accuse George Bush of kicking a hornets nest and not knowing what to do with it let me add something.
If Muslims are brite enough to Fly Our Own Aircraft Into Our Own Buildings, then they are smart enough to be drug kicking and screaming into the 21st Century!!
And learn the hard way how to take care of themselves. They are all smart enough to do this they have already shown how clever and calculating they can be.
Marie said:
Every single Democracy on the face of this earth did not get it handed to them they all had to fight for it, we had to fight for ours, every single Country has had to fight for thier Democracy and Iraq is NO different.
Um, no. This simply isn't true.
Every single country that is now a form of democracy did NOT have to fight for it.
Some had it imposed and/or chose it after being defeated in war.
Italy was a dictatorship that became a republic with a parliamentary democracy, as did Germany. And Spain is a parliamentary monarchy.
Japan was a monarchy--the emperor was considered a god, and no one was allowed to look at him. After Japan's defeat, the US insisted that Japan undeify the emperor, and he became just a regular old human being. Now Japan is a Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.
None of those countries, who are now our allies and considered "democratic" FOUGHT for their democracies. They were fighting us, remember? They were enemies of democracy who were defeated and had a form of democracy IMPOSED on them.
But I'm beginning to understand that facts are useless here. People say whatever comes into their heads, or whatever Rush or Fox tells them, and facts be damned.
Sigh.
Also, Russia is a form of democracy, albeit a really shakey one with Putin heading the country. There was no revolution to bring about a democracy. Communism collapsed and a form of democracy took over. As it did in Russia's client states.
China, which is Communist, embraces capitalism, and is slowly inching its way to some weird form of communism/capitalism/democracy. The country isn't in its "last throes" of fighting to achieve this.
"You can have your own opinion, but you can't have your own facts."--Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Mrs Green,
Oh Please Mrs Green you know what I meant.
I didnt watch this on Fox News, it's History and no matter what I say the same argument you will come up will not match with History.
Every single Democracy that has come about has been fought for and like I said Iraq is no different, they are fighting for thiers right now.
I am not talking about "Dictatorships"
We fought for our Democracy, they are fighting for thiers, and everyone needs to take a step back and let this new fledgeling Democracy make thier mistakes and then handle it on thier own.
Iraq is NOT the only Country that has needed our help in achieving Democracy. Take Afganistan for instance!
How exactly are facts meaningless here?
Mrs Green,
Also, Russia is a form of democracy, albeit a really shakey one with Putin heading the country. There was no revolution to bring about a democracy. Communism collapsed and a form of democracy took over. As it did in Russia's client states.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No Revolution? Russia as you must remember was the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republic the U.S.S.R., you cant tell me you dont remember the tearing down of the Berlin Wall! That was a revolution that was broadcast all over the World!
Oh brother we are not on the same page here.
China is a whole other story, they are a Dictatorship which is inching (Ever so slowly) to what is a possible Democracy but I dont see it ever being a real Democracy, but I could be wrong, they also said that about Japan, who incidentally fought for and won thier Democracy from China!
I'm not quite sure we are on the same page here.
No Revolution? Russia as you must remember was the Union Of Soviet Socialist Republic the U.S.S.R., you cant tell me you dont remember the tearing down of the Berlin Wall!
That was not a revolution! The Russian people didn't take up arms against the government. Russia collapsed under extreme economic pressure plus Gorbachev had instituted glasnost and perestroika.
A revolution is when a group of citizens of a country overthrows the government and institutes a new one. Like we did in 1776 and Fidel Castro did in the 1950s
"...they also said that about Japan, who incidentally fought for and won thier Democracy from China!"--Marie
Could you please tell me in which history book you learned that? Thanks.
Mrs Green,
I may not be thinking clearly today, and I dont feel well enough to go into all this other stuff at the moment, maybe later after I take my medicine, but I do know you are trying to distract from the very point of this post, and are trying to make it look like America is trying to impose Democracy on Iraq.
But you even said yourself they have had 3 elections, all on thier own.
We arent imposing anything on the Iraqi people.
They want Democracy, they are capable of handling it, and they are fighting for it. They just need our help a bit longer.
Wouldnt you love to see the streets of Baghdad free and clear of all this turmoil and the Iraqi people living a healthy prosperous life, and being one of our best allies in the war on terror right where it is needed the most?
Let's let our Troops finish this so they can be proud of what they have accomplished, and those that have fallen have not done so in vain!
If we pull out tomorrow everyone looses. The Iraqi's, the Coalition forces, and our American Troops. And especially our fallen. If we were to pull out now everything our fallen have died for will be for nothing!
Just let the Iraqi Military and the Troops finish this, it wont be to much longer and everyone will be happy!
Oh paleeeeeeeeeese Mrs. Green you have torn the history books to shreds in these last few posts.
Mrs. Green said...And this sort of murder and mayhem did not happen in Japan at the end of WWII nor in Germany, where new democracies were encouraged.
It most certainly did in Germany after the war. The SS and the remnants of other hardcore Nazis shot American, British, French and especially Soviet soldiers and officials. Then they blew up many government buildings and installations for years after the war was over creating plenty of havoc just as it is in Baghdad.It was a knock down drag out fight with those Nazi bastards (excuse my language)
When they tore down the Berlin wall and the revolution spread from East Germany back to the Soviet Union do you think those commies came out with their hands up? No, Boris Yeltsin himself sat in a Tank firing shots at the commies that were held up in the Parliment and they still had to fight with the former KGB for control of many government installations after that. At one point they were unsure which way the Soviet Army was going to go and there were a few battles fought.
I can go on Mrs. Green but you get the picture. You are spouting things that just aren't true so stop it. Freedom is not free.
Those people that stood in line to vote did not do so that there would be more killing by their leaders. They wanted the killing to stop and al sadr is part of the problem just like Ayatollah Khomeni was the problem and the wall against freedom.
When you have someone with their own army like al sadr did then you have to either tell him to lay down his arms and join the process or eliminate him. He has chosen the elimination option.
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