The radical cleric Moqtada Sadr visited Iraq’s most influential Shia leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in Najaf on Saturday. The senior cleric “blessed the efforts” of Mr Sadr to resolve the stand-off in Najaf, said Mr Sadr’s spokesman. Late last week, Mr Sadr agreed to withdraw his Mehdi Army fighters from the holy cities of Najaf and Kufa in tandem with a withdrawal by US forces. Shops and schools are reopening in Najaf as Iraqi police move back in.
Residents expressed relief that a measure of security was returning, weeks after the closure of his newspaper and the arrest of a key aide prompted Mr Sadr to launch an uprising against occupation forces. “We heard there is a truce now. Thank God,” Mohammed Abdul Amir, owner of an electrical store, told Associated Press. The agency reported that by midday Mr Sadr’s militia had withdrawn from all but the most sensitive religious sites as Iraqi police took up vacated positions. **However, violence continued in Mr Sadr’s stronghold in Baghdad of Sadr City. Two US soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb, and the US said several assailants had been killed in earlier fighting. **
Shia ‘approval’
Mr Sadr’s spokesman, Ahmad al-Shibani, told the Qatari satellite station al-Jazeera that Mr Sadr had visited Ayatollah Sistani to update him on “the developments of the uprising, the peace initiatives and the agreements that took place… the entire picture”. Ayatollah Sistani had, he said, “blessed the arduous efforts exerted by Moqtada Sadr personally to resolve this issue peacefully. These results are good”. He said the meeting had lasted about half an hour. The spokesman called the visit “very normal”, but correspondents say it reflects Mr Sadr’s heightened status and puts the Shia establishment seal of approval on the peace deal. They say Ayatollah Sistani had previously not bothered to conceal his disdain for the upstart cleric.
**Meanwhile, the US appeared to soften its demands that Mr Sadr turn himself in on charges of murdering a cleric last year. While insisting Mr Sadr must still face justice, coalition spokesman Dan Senor reportedly said it was for Iraqi leaders to decide the timing. **
I honestly don't know what happened to consistency, there are times to be flexible but this wasn’t one of them.
This u-turn has made us look like we are in a weak bargaining position and doesn’t strengthen my faith any in the current administrations ability to handle this war.
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*Originally posted by Schmidt: *
I honestly don't know what happened to consistency, there are times to be flexible but this wasn’t one of them.
This u-turn has made us look like we are in a weak bargaining position and doesn’t strengthen my faith any in the current administrations ability to handle this war.
Time to ship out?
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Well the American retreat in face of the unity stand of Sistani and Sadr, is akin to what happened in Falluja. In both cases the American military went in making demands for the surrender and the unconditional surrender of 'suspect's and fighters. Despite the deaths of some 250 coalition soldiers in the last couple of months, and the inury of thousands of others, the occupiers have totally failed in getting any of their demands met.
All they have done is to unite all Shia's, and bring Sunni's and Shia's together. :)
you can think it's "spin" if it helps you sleep better Abdali, but the fact is when the dominant military force compromises I think it shows a clear willingness to pursue peace and save lives. Sistani, btw, also gave his endorsement for the new interim gov't malik, so please mark the US down for their own "mission accomplished", and another one while you're at it once the UN gives their own version of a "blessing" to the US-British resolution.
^ haha very funny now occupiers looking to the UN all of a sudden, UN was thrown in garbage can when the amerikkan and Brits launched this illegal war based on bare faced lies.
Now they trying to look legit by rubber stamping there occupation from the UN talk about hypocrisy!
By the way this so called assumption that US and UK have formally ended occupation or going to end on june 30 of Iraq is another lie,** UK is sending more troops to iraq and US is sending more troops to iraq but they want us to belive its and end to occupation!**, i have to say i have seen some spin and lies but you cant fool all the people all the time as they say!
Here is another slap down from the Great Sistani…so be good boys and do what the Ayatollah has said - again.
Sistani warns against autonomy for Kurds
Iraq’s top Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, warned yesterday that any UN resolution on Iraq that mentions an interim constitution endorsing autonomy for Kurds would have “dangerous consequences”. ***“This law (constitution) was created by an unelected council in the shadow of occupation and under its direct impact,” a statement from Sistani’s office said. “This matter is illegal and is rejected by most of the Iraqi people. “Therefore, any attempt to bestow legitimacy on this law (constitution) by mentioning it in the international resolution… will have dangerous consequences.” ***
Sistani’s views hold huge sway with Iraq’s 60 per cent Shi’ite majority and his opposition to measures proposed by the United States authorities in Iraq has prompted changes in the past. Iraq’s Kurds, who make up 20 per cent of the population, are pushing to have measures of autonomy granted to them in Iraq’s interim constitution enshrined in the UN resolution. Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said on Sunday that Iraq’s unity could be at risk if the resolution did not endorse autonomy granted to Kurds under the present interim constitution.
“It would be a great disappointment for the Kurdish people — we would not oppose the Americans, but we would not participate in Baghdad,” Barzani said on Sunday. The United States and Britain are pressing UN Security Council members to pass the resolution on Iraq’s future quickly, possibly as early as today, and were struggling yesterday to consider a flurry of amendments to the text. There was little chance the latest draft would accommodate the Kurds, who are threatening to quit the government unless the resolution endorses the autonomy granted them in the interim constitution, which was signed in March. Measures adopted in the interim Iraqi constitution are not mentioned in the latest drafts of the United Nations resolution because of several long-standing objections from Sistani. Yesterday’s statement from the cleric urged the 15-member Security Council to take Sistani’s objections on board.
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*Originally posted by Stu: *
you can think it's "spin" if it helps you sleep better Abdali, but the fact is when the dominant military force compromises I think it shows a clear willingness to pursue peace and save lives. Sistani, btw, also gave his endorsement for the new interim gov't malik, so please mark the US down for their own "mission accomplished", and another one while you're at it once the UN gives their own version of a "blessing" to the US-British resolution.
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yep you also saved quite afew lives in Vietnam and Korea..... Spin is usually for home consumption.... Basically you are screwed no matter what face saver you use......
Spin is when you bring up Vietnam in every other thread when it has nothing to do with the subject. The US is getting what it wants - peace and order are being restored, civilians are not being killed, holy places are spared, businesses are re-opening, self government is being realized, 'holy men' are not killing innocents and the future for Iraqis is brighter. Instead of this being celebrated as the victory it is for the Iraqi people that US wants to bring about, some only want to use it as some badge of dishonor for the US. It only shows the shallowness and lack of real concern for the Iraqi people, only disdain for the Americans who they can't stand to see succeed.
"The senior cleric "blessed the efforts" of Mr Sadr to resolve the stand-off in Najaf "
Great, he is praising his efforts to resolve the issue. Of course Sadr, as any good politician does, created this conflict to increase his own power. Sistani knows this, but he is trying to resolve the situation so he uses some diplomatic language.
Sistani is NOT endorsing Sadrs fight, just the efforts to end it.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Seminole: *
Spin is when you bring up Vietnam in every other thread when it has nothing to do with the subject. The US is getting what it wants - peace and order are being restored, civilians are not being killed, holy places are spared, businesses are re-opening, self government is being realized, 'holy men' are not killing innocents and the future for Iraqis is brighter. Instead of this being celebrated as the victory it is for the Iraqi people that US wants to bring about, some only want to use it as some badge of dishonor for the US. It only shows the shallowness and lack of real concern for the Iraqi people, only disdain for the Americans who they can't stand to see succeed.
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hehehe sure sure "civilians are not killed"... I strongly suggest you go through your Shistory for some insight.
The fighting against occupiers by al sadr and the mujahideen in places like fallujah and other places have prevented the occupiers from having an easy ride in Iraq and this is a good thing, it has messed up the occupiers plans. The entire world is not condemning the iraqi resisitance they condemning the US occupation, amerikkas reputation has been severly damaged by this Iraqi misadventure!
The Abusers and rapists in Abu Grope are not afraid of petitions or marches which the iraqis started doing in first few months of occupation, the occupiers are afraid of the iraqi fighters doing martyr attacks on US bases or setting off bombs under humvess or guerrilla warfare ambuses on amerikkan patrols this what the occupiers afraid of.
