It seems two shiite clerics are at odds with each other, not so much for the good of Iraq and her future, but for personal power. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and Moqtada al-Sadr both claim to be decendents of Muhammad, neither holds any official positions, their parties each control 30 seats in the parliament, and have been life-long rivals. Hakim is the lesser-known of the two and according to The Washington Post is considered by the Bush administration to be a moderate. There's no question that Sadr is an extremist.
... administration officials say they are pursuing a Hakim-led moderate coalition of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurdish parties in order to isolate extremists, in particular Sadr.Hakim, who once verbally attacked U.S. policy, now senses a political opportunity and is softening his stance toward the Americans. Sadr's position is hardening.
Their rivalry is rising as the moderating influence of Iraq's most revered Shiite figure, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, is fading on the streets of Baghdad and is being replaced by allegiance to militant clerics such as Sadr, according to Iraqi officials and analysts.
Sadr is a thug who runs a gang of thugs, a 'militia'. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a Shiite politician who is backed by Sadr. No good can come from this relationship. As my friend says, Sadr City should have been leveled years ago.
What do we know about Hakim? Does he have his own militia? Well, of course he does. Hakim's armed wing is the Badr Organization, or Badr Brigade, and is losing power while the influence of Sadr's malitia is increasing.
The son of an ayatollah, Hakim wears the long, black robes of an Islamic scholar. He spent years in exile in Iran, where his political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was founded as an armed opposition group to President Saddam Hussein, who brutally oppressed Shiites.[Sadr] The son of Iraq's most respected populist cleric, who was assassinated by Hussein's government in 1999, Sadr remained in Iraq during the repression. He has stayed faithful to his father's vision, deriving his power from the seminary and the followers he has mobilized from Iraq's streets.
The WaPo points out that Hakim made the mistake of meeting with United States President George W. Bush. An error in judgement on Hakim's part?
"In today's Iraq, credibility and power are measured by opposition to the United States."At this time, whoever has his hands with the Americans or Jews is not an Iraqi," said Hussein, as he chopped up cubes of lamb. "So how could Hakim put his hands with the Americans?
That's right, the fault belongs to the Americans. Don't they recognize that the Americans are there doing the fighting FOR the Iraqis? Americans are dying FOR Iraq? Americans are dying for these thugs, Sadr and Hakim? Does either man think he has the power to calm the country and bring about order, if the Americans should pack up and leave suddenly? They better be careful what they wish for. With Americans gone, they could really have a mess on their hands.
I say we let them go at each other and be done with it.
Sense has nothing to do with what is going on in Iraq. Despite our sacrifices for them, they don't care. We are an infidel being used by allah to bring the true power back to Iraq, or something along those lines. By killing us and apostates they are doing allah's will. This mndset is not going to change anytime soon.
Posted by: James Biga | December 21, 2006 at 11:02 AM
With Americans gone, they could really have a mess on their hands.
..so true Debbie!..they dont seem remotely capable of democracy in any form!
Posted by: Angel | December 21, 2006 at 09:03 AM