Al-Sadr Threatens To END Ceasefire

There is a troubling story coming out of Iraq this morning, which states that Anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr may let a six-month cease-fire expire as soon as Saturday, a move that could send his Shiite militia fighters back to the streets and jeopardize security gains that have led to a sharp decline in violence.

Al-Sadr's Shiite Mahdi Army is among the most powerful militias in Iraq, and the cease-fire he ordered last August has been credited with helping reduce violence around Iraq by 60 percent or more in the past six months. Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, a spokesman for al-Sadr in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, said that if the cleric failed to issue a statement by Saturday saying the cease-fire was extended, "then that means the freeze is over." Al-Sadr's followers would be free to resume attacks.

Influential members of al-Sadr's movement said earlier this month they had urged the radical cleric to call off the cease-fire, which initially was set to expire at the end of the month. Al-Sadr's followers have claimed the U.S.-Iraqi raids, particularly in the southern Shiite cities of Diwaniyah, Basra and Karbala, are a pretext to crack down on the wider movement, which has pulled its support for the Washington-backed government.

Everyone admits that this cease fire has been good for Iraq, so even though we "want" to go after the "breakaway" factions, isn't it more important to solidify the gains that have been made, before stirring up this hornet's nest! In addition, while the military gains due to the Surge have been impressive, we must remember that the military aspect of the Surge, was merely to give the Iraqi government time to reconcile. There has been some gains in that arena, but really, there hasn't been enough to show for the "blood" sacrifices of our troops!! Let's hope that they can keep the Mahdi Army on the sidelines for a lot longer, or our troops will be under attack by a "rested", 75,000 member army; which we really have neither the time, nor manpower to deal spare!!


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