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S-2 · 04-08-2007, 15:21 PM

ABC News: Al-Sadr Calls for Attacks on U.S. Troops

al-Sadr calls for attacks on U.S. troops

By SAAD ABDUL KADIR
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) -- The renegade cleric Muqtada al-Sadr urged the Iraqi army and police to stop cooperating with the United States and told his guerrilla fighters to concentrate on pushing American forces out of the country, according to a statement issued Sunday.

The statement, stamped with al-Sadr's official seal, was distributed in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Sunday - a day before a large demonstration there, called for by al-Sadr, to mark the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad.

"You, the Iraqi army and police forces, don't walk alongside the occupiers, because they are your archenemy," the statement said. Its authenticity could not be verified.

In the statement, al-Sadr - who commands an enormous following among Iraq's majority Shiites and has close allies in the Shiite-dominated government - also encouraged his followers to attack only American forces, not fellow Iraqis.

"God has ordered you to be patient in front of your enemy, and unify your efforts against them - not against the sons of Iraq," the statement said, in an apparent reference to clashes between al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters and Iraqi troops in Diwaniyah, south of Baghdad. "You have to protect and build Iraq."

I remain fascinated by this development. It will be interesting to see how Crocker, Fallon, and Petraeus decide to approach al-Maliki with this challenge. The elephant in the room of America's last, best plan remains the ethnic-religious based militias, most notably the Mahdi Army, SCIRI's Badr brigade, and the kurd Peshmergas. Too, the emergence of sunni tribal militias in al-anbar ultimately represent a similar challenge to national sovereignty. Both the Iraqi government and the American military-political leadership continue to tip-toe around this looming confrontation.

However, the notion of some unifying gestalt emerging within the Iraqi mosaic is currently laughable. Thus the militias of all forms. The clear momentum remains towards sectarian division of the nation or a proxy government catering to Iranian dictates despite our last, belated effort.

I worry that, however gifted a counter-insurgent strategist Petraeus may be, that he's fallen for the trap of implementing yesterday's plan today. The political dynamics are such that rapid positive results are needed to maintain the American public's endurance. His tack is not suited for a quick ROI and he's long lost the advantages and operating conditions where a nuanced "softly-softly" approach could take decisive effect. That window closed two years ago, IMHO.

He may be the right man with the correct approach at the wrong time. Sadr has seemingly thrown down the gauntlet, whether at the direction of Iran, responding to internal challenges against his authority, or both. If so, were I Petraeus, I'd counsel that the Mahdi Army be engaged by the Iraqi and U.S. forces.

It's time to test the will of a shia-dominated government and army to confront their religious "brothers" in the name of national sovereignty. Either the al-Maliki gov't is capable of building sufficient consensus to do so or must fail. So too Iraq's army and our efforts. If it fails, it must either be replaced with a national leadership willing and able to mobilize Iraqi national sentiment or resort to partition- planned or not. Partition is failure. It also remains the most likely scenario to unfold.

That's what America had best be considering. What then?

04-08-2007, 15:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 2,544 Country:	The Latest From Moqtadr ABC News: Al-Sadr Calls for Attacks on U.S. Troops al-Sadr calls for attacks on U.S. troops By SAAD ABDUL KADIR Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD (AP) -- The renegade cleric Muqtada al-Sadr urged the Iraqi army and police to stop cooperating with the United States and told his guerrilla fighters to concentrate on pushing American forces out of the country, according to a statement issued Sunday. The statement, stamped with al-Sadr's official seal, was distributed in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Sunday - a day before a large demonstration there, called for by al-Sadr, to mark the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. "You, the Iraqi army and police forces, don't walk alongside the occupiers, because they are your archenemy," the statement said. Its authenticity could not be verified. In the statement, al-Sadr - who commands an enormous following among Iraq's majority Shiites and has close allies in the Shiite-dominated government - also encouraged his followers to attack only American forces, not fellow Iraqis. "God has ordered you to be patient in front of your enemy, and unify your efforts against them - not against the sons of Iraq," the statement said, in an apparent reference to clashes between al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fighters and Iraqi troops in Diwaniyah, south of Baghdad. "You have to protect and build Iraq." I remain fascinated by this development. It will be interesting to see how Crocker, Fallon, and Petraeus decide to approach al-Maliki with this challenge. The elephant in the room of America's last, best plan remains the ethnic-religious based militias, most notably the Mahdi Army, SCIRI's Badr brigade, and the kurd Peshmergas. Too, the emergence of sunni tribal militias in al-anbar ultimately represent a similar challenge to national sovereignty. Both the Iraqi government and the American military-political leadership continue to tip-toe around this looming confrontation. However, the notion of some unifying gestalt emerging within the Iraqi mosaic is currently laughable. Thus the militias of all forms. The clear momentum remains towards sectarian division of the nation or a proxy government catering to Iranian dictates despite our last, belated effort. I worry that, however gifted a counter-insurgent strategist Petraeus may be, that he's fallen for the trap of implementing yesterday's plan today. The political dynamics are such that rapid positive results are needed to maintain the American public's endurance. His tack is not suited for a quick ROI and he's long lost the advantages and operating conditions where a nuanced "softly-softly" approach could take decisive effect. That window closed two years ago, IMHO. He may be the right man with the correct approach at the wrong time. Sadr has seemingly thrown down the gauntlet, whether at the direction of Iran, responding to internal challenges against his authority, or both. If so, were I Petraeus, I'd counsel that the Mahdi Army be engaged by the Iraqi and U.S. forces. It's time to test the will of a shia-dominated government and army to confront their religious "brothers" in the name of national sovereignty. Either the al-Maliki gov't is capable of building sufficient consensus to do so or must fail. So too Iraq's army and our efforts. If it fails, it must either be replaced with a national leadership willing and able to mobilize Iraqi national sentiment or resort to partition- planned or not. Partition is failure. It also remains the most likely scenario to unfold. That's what America had best be considering. What then?