Rival Shiite Factions Clash in Iraqi City (U.S. may move against one)

Wednesday, October 15, 2003; Page A01

KARBALA, Iraq, Oct. 14 -- Rival Shiite Muslim groups exchanged gunfire overnight in this Shiite holy city, the first serious armed clash between Shiite factions since the Iraq war, and the top U.S. commander in Iraq warned Tuesday that American forces may soon have to move against one of the factions.

Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez said armed followers of Moqtada Sadr, a young Shiite cleric who has loudly opposed the presence of foreign troops in Iraq, have been regarded for months as an evolving threat to U.S.-led forces. Last week, in what American commanders described as an ambush, Sadr's Imam Mehdi Army battled a U.S. patrol in Baghdad, killing two American soldiers.

"They have begun to take some actions that are going to require the coalition to respond very forcefully," Sanchez said in an interview. "Any time you have a militia that has opted to take that sort of step, a confrontation is possible.

"We've stated very clearly over and over again that the standing up of independent militias is not an option here in the country. And we're going to take the necessary steps to ensure that that doesn't happen."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23096-2003Oct14.html

Which makes me feel so much better.