June 16, 2004

KNOWING YOUR ALLIES (via Kevin Whited):

Rebel Cleric Signals End to Shiite Insurgency in Iraq (Reuters, 6/16/04)

Radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr sent his fighters home on Wednesday in what may mark the end of a 10-week revolt against U.S.-led forces that once engulfed southern Iraq and Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrines.

With the formal end of U.S.-led occupation just two weeks away, Sadr issued a statement from his base in Najaf calling on his Mehdi Army militiamen to go home.

"Each of the individuals of the Mehdi Army, the loyalists who made sacrifices...should return to their governorates to do their duty,'' the statement said.


So quickens the quagmire...

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 16, 2004 11:21 AM
Comments

OJ - to those who only consider Sadr's termination as the correct outcome this does indeed signal more quagmire.

Posted by: AWW at June 16, 2004 11:32 AM

Yes, but they're idiots.

Posted by: oj at June 16, 2004 11:39 AM

That can't be right, I was just reading how support for Sadr is surging. Surely our news organizations wouldn't distort the facts to make things look worse than they are?

Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at June 16, 2004 12:56 PM

SADR CAVES!

Doubleplusungood thoughtcrime.
Refs unpersons.
Refs unevents.
Memhole.
Kerry for President.

Posted by: Ken at June 16, 2004 12:59 PM

What if he sends them home now, but then starts secretly restocking his weapons and bunkers and whatnot while using propaganda to improve his standing, and then six months later starts the whole thing up again? That's not a quagmire exactly, but it's not good...

Posted by: Just John at June 16, 2004 2:00 PM

Six months from now the Shi'ites will be running Iraq. How does he recruit?

Posted by: oj at June 16, 2004 2:03 PM

We still gotta whack him.

Posted by: Robert Duquette at June 16, 2004 2:07 PM

I'm with Robert.
In 1991 there were other "idiots" who recomended that we terminate Saddam. But I admit OJ your position is more nuanced than mine, and also I hope you are correct since that apparently is what is going to happen.

Posted by: h-man at June 16, 2004 2:27 PM

h:

Instead we helped Saddam terminate Shi'ites.

Posted by: oj at June 16, 2004 2:38 PM

Just John;

Also note that the Iraqi government isn't going to be nearly as restrained as the Coalition in dealing with Sadr at that point.

Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at June 16, 2004 3:00 PM

Count me with John.

Will the Iraqi government have any reliable military force of its own?

Seems unlikely, based on past practice.

Posted by: Harry Eagar at June 16, 2004 7:45 PM
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