Radical Iraqi cleric urges resistance against US

[somerleigh1183]

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is calling the U.S., Israel, and Britain "common enemies" against Iraq and is urging his Shiite followers to resist what he called "the occupiers" by all means.

The radical cleric's comments Saturday came in his first public speech in Iraq since his self-imposed exile to Iran nearly four years ago.

He told the crowd of thousands to "reject America" and urged his followers to "target only the occupier with all means of resistance."

He said Iraqis should not kill Iraqis.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is giving his first speech to followers since returning to Iraq from nearly four years of self-imposed exile in Iran.

The powerful cleric was greeted by shouts of "Long live the leader" outside his ancestral home in the holy Shiite city of Najaf.

Thousands of Iraqis crowded the streets to see the firebrand leader, an influential figure in Iraq who heads a fearsome militia as well as an organized political movement.

Followers and detractors alike will be watching his speech for signs of what direction he'll take his political movement.

http://bit.ly/h8cpQM

[steveo]

bring in the marines and do a job on him........what a loser

[dflake]

Well this is exactly what Iraq doesn't need. Saber rattling and resistance speeches are not going to help stabilize an already shaky country. We let him come back in because ................ ?

[quadraph0nic]

Well this is exactly what Iraq doesn't need. Saber rattling and resistance speeches are not going to help stabilize an already shaky country. We let him come back in because ................ ?

mmm because not letting him in or even using force against him would make him a martyr and strengthen their sadrist cause. After RV once things start improving for the iraqis they will never want to go back and his words will not be so strong. Sadr could become frustrated over step his bounds and of course justice would prevail. Besides Maliki already kicked his butt once, we know M would do it again and very soon Sadr won't have the Americans here to rail against.

I dont think Muqtada Al Sadr is very smart and its apparent to everyone he is after power. This will not be allowed. He can talk all he wants...

[Blackhawk Bob]

It doesn't sound as if Sadr will welcome outside (US, etc) development of Iraq any time soon .....

Can't have the hatred & want the technology, skills, etc all at the same time.

[Gut Feelings]

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is calling the U.S., Israel, and Britain "common enemies" against Iraq and is urging his Shiite followers to resist what he called "the occupiers" by all means.

The radical cleric's comments Saturday came in his first public speech in Iraq since his self-imposed exile to Iran nearly four years ago.

He told the crowd of thousands to "reject America" and urged his followers to "target only the occupier with all means of resistance."

He said Iraqis should not kill Iraqis.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) — Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is giving his first speech to followers since returning to Iraq from nearly four years of self-imposed exile in Iran.

The powerful cleric was greeted by shouts of "Long live the leader" outside his ancestral home in the holy Shiite city of Najaf.

Thousands of Iraqis crowded the streets to see the firebrand leader, an influential figure in Iraq who heads a fearsome militia as well as an organized political movement.

Followers and detractors alike will be watching his speech for signs of what direction he'll take his political movement.

http://bit.ly/h8cpQM

If this guy left Iraq 4 years ago to prevent procecution for the murder of another Cleric, then why is he back now? Can anyone say Saddam-Hussein wanna-be? I sure hope the new Iraqi Government reels this guy in REAL QUICK, because he's about to throw a monkey wrench into what that government is trying to do!

[bright]

I thought this nut case had agreed to come back to be part of a unified Iraqi new government.......sounds like he needs to be eliminated.......he has been gone for several years...surely Iraq can survive with his departure...Malilki better act swiftly!!!!

[usndiver]

Unfortunately, he is Iraq's version of Al Sharpton and or Jesse Jackson.

Please note I left Reverend off.

[seabee64]

I couldn't have said it better. And reverend my arrrsss.

[rocketman2010]

sounds like a baby hitler to me

[Hfeliu]

He's been back how many days now? And already causing drama

[stillwaters]

This guy is a willing tool of those who control the media etc. Kinda like the SDS back in the sixties. Modern Iraqis - those who live in the 21st century - will not tolerate his act for long, they are tired of conflict. Brave man to come back after all the fighting is over, the government is formed and act like he's relevant - tempest in a teapot tool motivated solely by hate. Let us hope the Iraqi people turn a deaf ear.

[pureau79]

Well this is exactly what Iraq doesn't need. Saber rattling and resistance speeches are not going to help stabilize an already shaky country. We let him come back in because ................ ?

He is allowed to do the "Saber rattling..." precisely for the reason we like to believe we were there in the first place: freedom. If Iraq is to rise and stand on its own it has to be in the modi vivendi of its own choosing. I don't like it. It is inflammatory and dangerous, but it is for them to decide. If the majority of Iraqis truly desire freedom from their ghosts of the past they will handle him as they only can do. My opinion is that it would be a good thing to eliminate Sadr, people like him and to drop the bomb on a couple of nations starting with Iran and North Korea, but that would be rash and unacceptable. The only real option is to let it play out. Sucks, doesn't it?

[Soldiering4U]

Unfortunately, he is Iraq's version of Al Sharpton and or Jesse Jackson.

Please note I left Reverend off.

and just like this guy I don't know why they are still around...

[pureau79]

I thought this nut case had agreed to come back to be part of a unified Iraqi new government.......sounds like he needs to be eliminated.......he has been gone for several years...surely Iraq can survive with his departure...Malilki better act swiftly!!!!

And do what? Make a martyr of him? That is an encouragement to the radicals of Islam. This is a powder keg. The selfish side of me says let's see an RV, go to the bank and them let them kill each other if they want to AFTER I've got some whole numbers to the left side of the zeroes. They've been doing it for thousands of years. It's part of their make up. I don't understand it, but it is what it is...

[usndiver]

and just like this guy I don't know why they are still around...

If you notice they are not as relevant as they once thought they were.

[Uncle Barkie]

The bad thing here is that there are literally thousands of years of Sadr's way of thinking ( a rather stinking thinking ) to contend with . The ,so-called , religious leaders such as Sadr , have a great deal of respect in this region because religion is their way of life. It is part of every aspect of daily life in the Middle East . So , don't dismiss him so easily as saying " they're new found prosperity will cause his rantings to fall on deaf ears ." You must think like a Middle Easterner . If Maliki wants to ensure his countries future he must deal with Sadr in a way that doesn't give the Sadrists' a martyr or power of any kind . If he plays it correctly he will keep Sadr close to him ( keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer !) At the right time ( of Maliki's chosing ) Sadr will either be killed by a " terrorist bomb " ( a.k.a. Malikis secret police ) or he will have a " heart attack " provided again by Maliki . You can't be a martyr if Allah choses to bring you into his house !

Uncle Barkie

[ronscarpa]

Sadr Exhorts Iraqis to Resist US

Asharq News - 08/01/2011

In his first speech since returning to Iraq, radical Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr addresses followers on January 8, 2011 in Najaf, calling on the Iraqi people to resist the US occupation of their country by all means. (AFP)

An Iraqi woman follows a speech by controversial Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on January 8, 2011. (AFP)

Supporters of Iraq's controversial Shiite clergyman Moqtada al-Sadr carry his portrait as they listen to his first speech since returning to Iraq. (AFP)

NAJAF, (AFP) — Radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Saturday exhorted a boisterous crowd to resist the US "occupation" by all means, in his first speech since returning to his Iraqi home city of Najaf.

"We still resist the occupier, by military resistance, and all the means of resistance," Sadr said in the central Iraq shrine city, where he returned on Wednesday after about four years of self-imposed exile.

Tens of thousands of people turned out to hear him speak, waving a forest of Iraqi flags and pictures of the cleric.

"Iraq passed through difficult circumstances, which made everyone cry, and did not satisfy anyone except our joint enemy -- America, Israel and Britain," Sadr said.

"So say after me: 'No, no to America!'" The crowd did so, but in voices the cleric deemed to be too quiet.

Sadr asked: "Are you afraid of America? Say 'no, no to America! No, no to Israel!" The crowd roared back the same chant.

About 50,000 US troops remain in Iraq, but are required under a security accord between Baghdad and Washington to withdraw by the end of the year.

US forces in Iraq have mainly focused on training Iraqi forces, after combat operations in the country were officially declared over from September 1, 2010.

Despite the end of combat operations, American soldiers are allowed to return fire in self-defence and take part in operations if requested by their Iraqi counterparts, under the terms of a bilateral security pact.

In his speech calling for resistance against the US presence, Sadr stressed that other Iraqis would not be harmed by his forces.

"Our hand will not touch any Iraqi... we only target the occupier, by all means of resistance. We are one people. We don't agree with some groups that carry out assassinations," Sadr said.

"For the unity of Iraq, say after me: Yes, yes for Iraq! Yes, yes, for peace! Yes, yes for harmony!" The crowd yelled back the cleric's words.

"If the conflicts took place among brothers, let us forget this page and turn it forever, and live united in peace and security," Sadr said, in an apparent reference to sectarian violence in Iraq.

"We have to put an end to the suffering of the Iraqi people, by our unity," he said.

The fiery, controversial Sadr gained widespread popularity among Shiites in the months after the 2003 US-led invasion, and his Mahdi Army militia later battled American and Iraqi government forces in several bloody confrontations.

He was identified by the Pentagon in 2006 as the biggest threat to stability in Iraq.

His militia became the most active and feared armed Shiite group, and was blamed by Washington for death-squad killings of thousands of Sunnis.

But in August 2008, Sadr suspended the activities of the Mahdi Army, which once numbered in the tens of thousands, after major US and Iraqi assaults on its strongholds in Baghdad and southern Iraq in the spring.

Following the ceasefire, US military commanders said his action had been instrumental in helping bring about a significant decrease in the levels of violence across Iraq.

Despite only rare appearances in public, the cleric is idolized by millions of Shiites, especially in Najaf, where he has his headquarters, and in the impoverished Baghdad neighbourhood of Sadr City, which is named for his father, a revered cleric who was killed by gunmen in 1999.

Sadr left Iraq at the end of 2006, according to his movement, and had reportedly been pursuing religious studies in the Iranian holy city of Qom. He returned to his home city of Najaf on Wednesday.

AN Link

[littlesam]

I read several articles on him last night...hes a scary dude...hope things go well......we will see...thanks for the post

[Mammaw]

He is a religous radical. I thought he was on the wanted list. Why hasn't the Gov. arrested him? Isn't he rioting the people? I wonder if he too will find a bomb under his hood? So many over there have.

[aliveandcare]

He is a religous radical. I thought he was on the wanted list. Why hasn't the Gov. arrested him? Isn't he rioting the people? I wonder if he too will find a bomb under his hood? So many over there have.

Man, I hope so. I cant stand this idiot. He deserves to be dead. I dont like saying that about anyone, but in this case, it is true. He does NOTHING that is worthwhile or good. He is a pure idiot. He uses God as his excuse to kill. He's just a murderer. He WILL ruin the stability of this country if something is not done FAST.

If the bomb under the hood doesnt work, I will be going to get more hollow-points.

[aferriss]

This dude is crazy. If he gets his way, it'll be chaos again. Sunnis and Kurds will begin dying again at the hands of their own government. (And I don't care if Maliki and Allawi are the government right now. All it takes is a couple of bullets.) And put aside the RV for a minute. Can you imagine the suffering that will begin again? This dude contradicts himself. He speaks out of both sides of his mouth. And here these dummies of Iraq are buying into his "We will only fight the occupiers-harmony, peace" garbage. If they honestly believe that peace will remain through the destruction of our military, they're blind and dumb. I love and respect my troops dearly. Something needs to be done about that dude. I get the fact that if we take him out, he will be a martyr to the Iraqis, but if the top officials in Iraq don't get smart, Iraq will become a close-minded death trap again. And not only for Americans, the British, and Israel, but for its own people especially the Sunni tribes.

Now with all that said, can we expect an RV/RI if that comes down? Something must be done. I'm hitting my prayer closet.

[GaJanie]

If you were an extremist cleric in Iraq and you saw your country about to make progress, come out of the dark ages, have prosperity, and have no need for your extremist views any longer what would you do? Yep, I'd try my best to whip them into one last frenzy. Who knows, it might work.

[aliveandcare]

If you were an extremist cleric in Iraq and you saw your country about to make progress, come out of the dark ages, have prosperity, and have no need for your extremist views any longer what would you do? Yep, I'd try my best to whip them into one last frenzy. Who knows, it might work.

I will personally go over to Iraq and Shoot that mother f ucker in between the eyes if this happens.

[juan martinez]

There is way too many countries, companies and money at stake to let one guy get in the way of progress, Someone will buy him off or rub him out, either way, he is a marked man.