Comments on: Sadr’s Cunning Plan To Revitalize Sadr City Bears Fruit http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/ Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:50:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159540 Dean Esmay Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:21:28 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159540 I'm often surprised by how often people forget that our intervention to rescue Iraq from its fascist rulers (Saddam & Co) also allowed us to remove our troop presence from Saudi soil, which removed a major complaint of those who claimed we were dishonoring Mecca and Medina by our presence in that nation. We ain't there no more, because we no longer need to protect them from Saddam. I’m often surprised by how often people forget that our intervention to rescue Iraq from its fascist rulers (Saddam & Co) also allowed us to remove our troop presence from Saudi soil, which removed a major complaint of those who claimed we were dishonoring Mecca and Medina by our presence in that nation. We ain’t there no more, because we no longer need to protect them from Saddam.

]]> By: Dishman http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159451 Dishman Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:58:47 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159451 bin Laden wanted us out of Saudi, too. You'll note that he's not claiming victory for our departure. bin Laden wanted us out of Saudi, too.

You’ll note that he’s not claiming victory for our departure.

]]> By: Dave Price http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159443 Dave Price Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:20:33 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159443 <em>This is probably the reason that al-Maliki is talking about timetables for withdrawl of US forces.</em> Yeah... by 2011.  Meanwhile, the U.S. Army says we'll be out of combat by summer '09. That isn't a withdrawal, it's a victory parade. <em>A US withdrawal from Iraq has been al-Sadr’s goal from the beginning.</em> Prefereably, a US withdrawal that left him in charge, or at least with the most guns behind him. Instead, his "army" has been shattered and discredited. He can still play the "fight the occupier" card for the elections, but that's not going to have the cachet it did last time around. <em>That should be a great victory for democracy in Iraq.</em> Indeed. This is probably the reason that al-Maliki is talking about timetables for withdrawl of US forces.

Yeah… by 2011.  Meanwhile, the U.S. Army says we’ll be out of combat by summer ’09.

That isn’t a withdrawal, it’s a victory parade.

A US withdrawal from Iraq has been al-Sadr’s goal from the beginning.

Prefereably, a US withdrawal that left him in charge, or at least with the most guns behind him. Instead, his “army” has been shattered and discredited. He can still play the “fight the occupier” card for the elections, but that’s not going to have the cachet it did last time around.

That should be a great victory for democracy in Iraq.

Indeed.

]]> By: mikeca http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159432 mikeca Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:31:53 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159432 Al-Sadr from the beginning has been opposed to the US occupation of Iraq. He has wanted US forces out of Iraq sooner rather than later.  He is now putting a lot of pressure on the Iraqi government over the security pack it is negotiating with the US. Al-Sadr is stirring up opposition to an agreement that allows for a long term US troop presences in Iraq. This is probably the reason that al-Maliki is talking about timetables for withdrawl of US forces. There may be several things at work here. First Al-Sadr has never had very good control over the Mahdi Army. The Mahdi Army took control of Sadr city to protect the residents from al-Qaeda and other Sunni milatias, which are no longer a threat. Many of the worst elements of the Mahdi Army turned to Iran for arms and training to fight the Sunni threat. Al-Sadr is an Iraqi nationalist and is opposed to Iranian influence in Iraq also.  Al-Sadr may be thinking that the quickest way to get US troops to leave at this point is to have his Mahdi Army stand down and disappear with the worst, Iranian influenced elements arrested or killed by the government. With the threat of the Sunni resistance and the Mahdi Army gone, the US does not have a strong reason to stay in Iraq and he can pressure the al-Maliki government to come up with a time table for US withdrawal. A US withdrawal from Iraq has been al-Sadr's goal from the beginning. I think he has now chosen a more peaceful, democratic path towards that goal. That should be a great victory for democracy in Iraq. Al-Sadr from the beginning has been opposed to the US occupation of Iraq. He has wanted US forces out of Iraq sooner rather than later.  He is now putting a lot of pressure on the Iraqi government over the security pack it is negotiating with the US. Al-Sadr is stirring up opposition to an agreement that allows for a long term US troop presences in Iraq. This is probably the reason that al-Maliki is talking about timetables for withdrawl of US forces.

There may be several things at work here. First Al-Sadr has never had very good control over the Mahdi Army. The Mahdi Army took control of Sadr city to protect the residents from al-Qaeda and other Sunni milatias, which are no longer a threat. Many of the worst elements of the Mahdi Army turned to Iran for arms and training to fight the Sunni threat. Al-Sadr is an Iraqi nationalist and is opposed to Iranian influence in Iraq also. 

Al-Sadr may be thinking that the quickest way to get US troops to leave at this point is to have his Mahdi Army stand down and disappear with the worst, Iranian influenced elements arrested or killed by the government. With the threat of the Sunni resistance and the Mahdi Army gone, the US does not have a strong reason to stay in Iraq and he can pressure the al-Maliki government to come up with a time table for US withdrawal.

A US withdrawal from Iraq has been al-Sadr’s goal from the beginning. I think he has now chosen a more peaceful, democratic path towards that goal. That should be a great victory for democracy in Iraq.

]]> By: Maniakes http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159423 Maniakes Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:07:47 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159423 Wheels within wheels! We should never have tried fighting this man. It's becoming increasingly clear that he's lulling us into a true sense of security so his real plan can unfold. Wheels within wheels! We should never have tried fighting this man. It’s becoming increasingly clear that he’s lulling us into a true sense of security so his real plan can unfold.

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159422 Dean Esmay Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:03:07 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/2008/07/09/sadrs-cunning-plan-to-revitalize-sadr-city-bears-fruit/#comment-159422 My biggest fear is that this culminates in his well-planned martyrdom somewhere in Iran, which will lead to his eventual victory in ways we can even barely begin to understand with our befuddled Western White Man imaginations. My biggest fear is that this culminates in his well-planned martyrdom somewhere in Iran, which will lead to his eventual victory in ways we can even barely begin to understand with our befuddled Western White Man imaginations.

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