Peace deal for Najaf reached

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Peace deal for Najaf reached
August 26, 2004

BY ABDUL HUSSEIN AL-OBEIDI ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement

NAJAF, Iraq-- Rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed Thursday to a peace deal presented by Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, who brought his enormous authority to bear in an attempt to end three weeks of fighting in the holy city of Najaf, a top al-Sistani aide said.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most influential cleric among Iraq’s Shiite majority, reached the deal in direct talks with al-Sadr in the evening, only hours after making a dramatic return to Najaf.

Aides have said that al-Sistani’s peace plan calls for Najaf and Kufa to be declared weapons-free cities, for all foreign forces to withdraw from Najaf and leave security to the police, and for the government to compensate those harmed by the fighting.

“Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr agreed to the initiative of his eminence al-Sistani,” said Hamed al-Khafaf, a top al-Sistani aide. “You will hear good news soon from the government and Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr.”

“It’s the same initiative that we had proposed … almost the same initiative has been agreed upon,” al-Khafaf said.

Thousands of Iraqis had flocked to Najaf in answer to al-Sistani’s call Wednesday for a peace march, but the Iraqi government’s police did not let them enter the holy city.

Late Thursday, al-Sistani asked the government to allow them in to visit the Imam Ali Shrine compound provided they leave by 10 a.m. Friday, al-Khafaf said. Al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia is still holding the shrine and has used it as a stronghold since fighting with U.S. forces began on Aug. 5.

U.S. and Iraqi troops and al-Sadr fighters called a cease-fire after al-Sistani’s arrival-- but the bloodshed that has torn apart the holy city continued right up until the grand ayatollah entered Najaf.

More than 90 people were killed in the preceding 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry-- including 27 people killed when mortars hit the main mosque in nearby Kufa, where thousands had gathered in preparation to march to Najaf in support of al-Sistani.

The U.S. military and Iraqi government have backed al-Sistani’s peace mission, but they have not said whether they would agree to his proposal’s provisions.

Al-Sadr has agreed to peace deals at least twice previously, but the agreements have fallen apart and fighting resumed.

But all sides appear to be hoping the immense authority of al-Sistani can keep a deal together. The 75-year-old al-Sistani, who has long refused to intervene directly in the standoff between al-Sadr and the United States, has much wider support among Iraq’s Shiites than al-Sadr, a much younger and lower-ranking cleric.

Al-Sistani was in London for medical treatment for most of the time since the fighting broke out Aug. 5. As he returned to Iraq, he called on his followers to march on Najaf for peace.

Al-Sistani arrived Thursday in a 30-vehicle convoy that drove in from Basra, cheered by thousands of supporters in towns along the way. Heeding al-Sistani’s calls, thousands more came from their hometowns to Najaf and gathered on its outskirts

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-iraq26.html

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Huzzah! Good for Iraq! Congratulations!

Peace To All Who Read This…

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Re: Peace deal for Najaf reached

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by mrpockets: *
Peace deal for Najaf reached
.....

NAJAF, Iraq-- Rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed ...to a peace deal .....
.....Sistani's peace plan calls for Najaf and Kufa to be declared weapons-free cities......
[/QUOTE]

My sincere hopes for Iraqi peace. Sistani made a bold move and it worked albiet the death of 15 of his followers.

I do have some doubts about MnM Sadr. He has a record of reneging "peace deals" in the past.

Peace.

Khuda Hafiz.

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Saw a pic of Sistani for the first time yesterday, he looks like an honorable man, bless him.

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With nothing more than a few hours of words, Grand Ayatollah All Al-Sistani was able to do more than the USA could with days of bombs, shells and bullets.

A powerful man indeed ... probably the single most powerful man in Iraq.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by mAd_ScIeNtIsT: *
.. Al-Sistani was able to do more than the USA could with days of bombs, shells and bullets.....
[/QUOTE]

May be! He looks more like a carrot while US marines used the powerful stick on MnM Sadar.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by mAd_ScIeNtIsT: *
A powerful man indeed ... probably the single most powerful man in Iraq.
[/QUOTE]

I hope so. Al-Sistani has been in Iraq all along except for the two weeks of medical treatment in UK. MnM Sadar refused to follow Sistani's commands on pretty much consistent basis.

It was only the threat of serious punishment that MnM Sadar accepted Sistani or carrot.

Khuda Hafiz.

P.S. Time to kick those MnM terrorists

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Whats interesting is how Sadr’s men are finally going to leave the Holy Shrine, unrecognisable amongst the masses of people gathered in the mosque from all over Iraq. Two days ago, they would have most probably been sniped dead if they’d stepped outside. Another good call by the Ayatullah to stop the bloodshed. :k:

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So what was not achieved by the coalition and the Iraqi government in a few weeks was achieved by a man in matters of hours.

:eek: That’s really something.

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that's the ayotullah for u, not surprised at all, I hope US noticed how he fixed everything up so fast

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may allah’s curse and wrath be on the coaliton for damaging the holy shrine of hazrat ali shair-e-khuda :razi:

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a good post-najaf war analysis…decided to share with intelligent guppies…

Voice of power

Leader
Saturday August 28, 2004
The Guardian

What the Americans failed to achieve in Najaf with their tanks, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani achieved with a motorcade. Having arrived in the Iraqi holy city on Thursday accompanied by thousands of ordinary Shia Muslims, he calmly took possession of the Imam Ali shrine where fighters loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr had been under siege from US and Iraqi government forces for three weeks. Yesterday, Mr al-Sadr’s militiamen in Najaf began laying down their arms under a deal brokered by Mr al-Sistani. We can only hope it will last; if it does not, the future in Iraq scarcely bears thinking about.

This outcome may be portrayed in some quarters as a defeat for Mr al-Sadr; in reality it is only a tactical withdrawal. His militia is being allowed to melt away, no doubt to reappear somewhere else later on. Despite previous threats to arrest him, Mr al-Sadr is, in the words of one government minister, “as free as any Iraqi citizen to do whatever he likes”. Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Mr al-Sadr has risen from minor rabble-rouser to significant if troublesome player with nationalist as well as religious appeal. His constituency is the marginalised and disaffected youth, and his rise is mainly the result of US mistakes and misjudgments plus, latterly, those of the interim government too.

In Najaf, Mr al-Sistani has in effect come to Mr al-Sadr’s rescue, providing him with a relatively face-saving way out of a bloody impasse. The more junior cleric has, for the time being at least, submitted to the superior authority of the grand ayatollah. Whether this will allow Mr al-Sistani to exercise much control over him is another matter. Mr al-Sadr, in his early 30s, can play a long game; the grand ayatollah, at 73, can not.

Earlier this month, as the fighting started, Mr al-Sistani left Najaf for medical treatment in London - to return as the city’s saviour. He has been criticised for his absence, though there was probably little he could have done until the warring forces exhausted themselves. As the highest Shia cleric in Iraq, he tends to stay out of day-to-day politics, keeping religion and state separate. He favours democracy (with good reason, since the Shia account for 60% or more of Iraqis). His caution exasperates many activists, but when he speaks - usually at a critical moment - everyone listens. In effect, Mr al-Sistani has proved he has a veto over significant change in Iraq.

If it holds, the Najaf agreement will relieve the interim government of an immediate headache. It may also improve the prospects for bringing peace to other cities and for holding elections successfully next year. But the problem for prime minister Ayad Allawi is that it leaves his unelected and increasingly unpopular government further weakened. His huffing and puffing over Najaf, backed by American military might, brought only more bloodshed - until Mr al-Sistani came along and upstaged him. The deal that was brokered this week was essentially the same one the government had tried and failed to broker earlier, which certainly raises questions about its effectiveness. More than ever, Mr Allawi will now have to keep his mind on the grey-bearded figure over his shoulder.

Mr al-Sistani’s influence comes from his religious authority. In Najaf he has exercised that to good effect. When he chooses to use it, the ayatollah has a voice that speaks louder than gunfire. The Middle East could certainly do with more voices like that. But Iraqis might also consider whether religious authority is what a modern Iraqi state ought to rely on. Perhaps a better omen here were the thousands of Iraqis who accompanied the grand ayatollah on his mission to bring peace to the Najaf. If Iraq is ever to become more peaceful, it is from citizens like them rather than ayatollahs that supreme authority must come.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by phoenixdesi: *
......Voice of power by The Guardian

What the Americans failed to achieve in Najaf with their tanks, the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani achieved with a motorcade.
[/QUOTE]

Leftie Guardian’s analysis. Sure it is “totally unbiased”;). Pakistanis are well advised to stay away from MnM terrorist supporter: Guardians, and Chomskians. None of these ideologue-idiots is happy about Pakistan’s existence. OTOH all these lefties are more than joyful to be HMV of Baha-Rat.

As I said earlier, Sistani has not been successful against Sadr on previous occasions. This time it worked because Sadr was about to be buried in the rubble of grave yard or tomb or wherever that “brave” fighter was hiding. Carrot and stick policy worked just the way Americans wanted. Tomb is safe; Sistani will have his own people in charge of the tomb to make sure Sadr’s brave fighters don’t take hold of the area again. It will also help Sistani’s people collect millions of $$ from pilgrims and the US government. See it is a win-win situation for Sistani.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by phoenixdesi: *
……This outcome may be portrayed in some quarters as a defeat for Mr al-Sadr; in reality it is only a tactical withdrawal. His militia is being allowed to melt away, no doubt to reappear somewhere else later on.
[/QUOTE]

So what! The next time his “brave” militia will not be allowed to hide in a sacred tomb. No tomb, means easy to send MnM Sadr and his militia to the Maker Almighty. Simple as that!

…..

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by phoenixdesi: *
Earlier this month, as the fighting started, Mr al-Sistani left Najaf for medical treatment in London - to return as the city's saviour.
[/QUOTE]

Has it dawned on Pakistanis that Sistani’s heart now is controlled from London?

Khuda Hafiz

P.S. Kick those MnM terrorists.

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ofcourse that was najaf..

Fighting back in baghdad again..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42651-2004Aug28.html

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Its getting better every where and every time… Oh yes the spin! yes teh spin comes in handy… I hear today the terrorist were 100 percent deprived of oil supplies in Iraq… Good job keep up the (TER) Terrorist elemination rate see how the terrorist run with a spin…

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/international/middleeast/29province.html?hp

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 28 - While American troops have been battling Islamic militants to an uncertain outcome in Najaf, the Shiite holy city, events in two Sunni Muslim cities that stand astride the crucial western approaches to Baghdad have moved significantly against American plans to build a secular democracy in Iraq.

** Both of the cities, Falluja and Ramadi, and much of Anbar Province, are now controlled by fundamentalist militias, with American troops confined mainly to heavily protected forts on the desert’s edge. ** :smiley: What little influence the Americans have is asserted through wary forays in armored vehicles, and by laser-guided bombs that obliterate enemy safe houses identified by scouts who penetrate militant ranks. Even bombing raids appear to strengthen the fundamentalists, who blame the Americans for scores of civilian deaths.

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Muqtada al-Sadr orders nationwide ceasefire

Monday 30 August 2004, 20:13 Makka Time, 17:13 GMT

Shia Muslim leader Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered a nationwide ceasefire and announced his armed movement will enter the political arena, one of his aides said in Baghdad.

“The commander of the Sadr movement, leader Muqtada al-Sadr, announced today in Najaf the end of all fighting [throughout] Iraq and the integration of his movement in the political process,” Shaikh Naim al-Qaabi said on Monday.

Al-Sadr has in recent weeks spearheaded the largest resistance to US occupation and Iraqi government forces since the fall of Saddam Hussein last year.

“This decision shows that the al-Sadr movement wants peace and participation in the country’s political process, and within the next two days the al-Sadr movement will explain its political vision on this participation,” the official told reporters.

“The Sadr movement is the largest in Iraq because it has wide popular support and we are sure it will play an important part in the country’s political life,” he added.

The announcement came amid negotiations between Iraqi government officials, US occupation commanders and al-Sadr’s office to stop the fighting in the rest of the country after a peace deal ended months of clashes in the central shrine towns of Najaf and Kufa on Friday.

It was only a matter of time! Too bad so many had to die so al-Sadr could prove a point!

Peace To All Who Read This…

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Verb 1. reconstitute - construct or form anew or provide with a new structure; "After his accident, he had to restructure his life"; "The governing board was reconstituted

Lose a thousand men, claim victory at defending a Muslim shrine that was not under attack until YOU got there, destroy someone elses town, have religious rival bail you out to save the non-threatened shrine that you defended, stall-delay-lie while reconsituting, start over.