A military friend, now in Baghdad sent me the two following pieces concerning internal Iraqi politics and Muqtada al-Sadr. I have though for some time that he is likely to emerge from the ruin of the Maliki government as a MUCH stronger figure in Iraq. I think that at the same time as we are pursuing a "deal" with Iran over our various "issues" we should look to our relations with this man. Whatever government emerges in post occupation Iraq, it will be necessary to have a diplomatic relationship with it in orde to play a prudent part in the ME. We should be setting up the conditions for that NOW. pl
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"S"Sadr, Aides Review Local Situations, National Reconciliation
At an expanded two-day meeting held in Al-Najaf the day before yesterday, young Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr urged the directors of "Martyr Al-Sadr offices" and "Al-Mahdi Army" commanders all over Iraq to "bury their differences and open a new page with local governments in the governorates and the Iraqi Shiite and Sunni political and religious parties." He also called on them to adopt the "let bygones be bygones principle and start a broad reconciliation process to heal the rift in inter-Shiite and Shiite-Sunni relations during the past period."
Muhammad al-Sa'idi, one of Al-Sadr's most prominent aides, told "Al-Hayat" that "he discussed the situations in the arena, the changes in the stands of several Shiite and Sunni political parties, and the impact of this on the political and security situations in Iraq as well as the repercussions of the political stands taken by Al-Sadr bloc and Martyr Al-Sadr offices when they dealt with these changes." He pointed out that "Al-Sadr carried out an extensive review of the political action mechanisms adopted by Al-Sadrist figures that confronted the religious and political processes during the past period."
He pointed out that Al-Sadr "came out from these meetings with a clear concept of how to deal with several problems" and that he recommended "the formation of several committees to lay down the necessary mechanisms and propose the required treatments for ending the previous disagreements between Al-Sadrists and the local authorities and Shiite and Sunni political and religious forces, for burying the disagreements with all these parties before they exacerbate, and for activating the reconciliation process." He called on the "Martyr Al-Sadr offices", "Al-Mahdi Army" commanders, the Shiite and Sunni political forces, and local governments "to open a new page, put differences aside, and adopt the "let bygones be bygones" principle."
Al-Sa'idi stressed that "Al-Sadr ordered the sending of delegations that include religious and political leaders from his trend to Iraq's neighboring countries and regional ones with influence in the Iraqi arena to explain the real situations and the impact of the sectarian sedition that has affected all the communities without exception and to call on these governments to support Iraq's security and stability, contain the sectarian sedition, and close the doors in the face of those propagating it."
He added that the "discussions also dealt with the work of Martyr Al-Sadr's political bureau in
Iraq
" and said Al-Sadr "formed a committee to examine the bureau's work, evaluate its achievements during the past period, and present the necessary recommendations." He pointed out that "some Al-Sadr Trend leaders called for dissolving the political bureau and restructuring it due to the many failures of its work during its management of several political crises that emerged between the central government and Al-Sadrist bloc on one side and the local governments, Al-Mahdi Army elements, and Martyr al-Sadr offices in the governorates on the other side." Al-Sa'idi concluded that Al-Sadr "will meet tomorrow (today) with the local governments' heads (the governors) in the central and southern regions to discuss the common issues." (Al-Hayat – Independent, London-based, Pan-Arab)
Recent Comments