13 of al Sadr's followers have been killed by US forces in Baghdad as he called for a cease-fire with Iraqi forces but not Coalition forces.
Ceasefire no ceasefire, ceasefire no ceasefire. I used to think that al Sadr was a big threat to Iraq but I no longer hold that view. This guy is really indecisive and that will be his demise.
New York Times
....
Under pressure from Iraqi government troops and the American military, Moktada al-Sadr called on his followers to stop the bloodshed, unite with all Iraqis and focus their firepower on driving out the “occupation forces,” meaning the United States military and its foreign allies.
The statement, read at Friday prayers, appeared to be part of a carefully calibrated political strategy of reaching out to his “Iraqi brothers” while threatening any Iraqis who work with the occupying forces.
It echoes the one Mr. Sadr, a rabidly nationalist Shiite cleric, made last year when he asked his Mahdi militia to halt its most aggressive activities, including most sectarian killings. That gambit improved his image nationally while allowing him to build up his own forces. If the Sadr forces continued an all out fight against the government they would almost certainly suffer severe losses in manpower and firepower, and they might be barred from participating in the elections. The parliament is considering a ban on political parties that also sponsor a militia.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Al Sadr Calls For Cease-Fire As 13 are Killed In Clashes
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3 comments:
Unfortunately, he may be smarter than you think. It is a common Muslim warfare technique to create constant truces or "hudnas" when you are weaker than the other side. This technique's purpose is to use time as an advantage in building your strength while the other side may tire of the conflict. Eventually, when you are strong, you fight to the finish and allow no truces by the other side.
I will post on this topic at my blog on Islam.
Yes you are correct that al Sadr is actually calling for a hudna. But he breaks and creates new hudnas almost on a weekly basis. That to me seems like indecision and it must surely be a downer on moral.
Whenever he breaks a hunda he almost immediately calls for another. Seems to me he keeps overestimating his forces or underestimates his opponent's.
Either way, he is making strategical errors.
Fair enough.
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