US-led forces arrest top militia commander in Iraq (Mehdi Army)

Barrett808

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Fri Jul-07-06 12:56 PM
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US-led forces arrest top militia commander in Iraq (Mehdi Army)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces arrested a regional commander for a pro-government Shi'ite militia suspected of smuggling surface-to-air missiles and spying for Iran, the U.S. military said on Friday.

Adnan al-Unaybi, leader of the Mehdi Army militia in charge of an area south of Baghdad where two U.S. helicopters were shot down this year, was arrested during an Iraqi-U.S. raid near the town of Hilla, 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad on Thursday.

Unaybi had been previously detained in 2004 but later released for torching liquor stores and tearing down public billboards of Iraqi singers, the U.S. military said.

News of his arrest came the same day as Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested a militant leader in Baghdad's Sadr City slum after a firefight in which 30-40 gunmen were killed or wounded. Police later identified him as a Mehdi Army leader.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060707/wl_nm/iraq_militia_dc

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wryter2000

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:09 PM
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1. That's Al-Sadr's group

I have a feeling this is going to mean lots of violence. :cry:

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Selatius

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:13 PM
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2. Al-Sadr apparently has spent several years building up a weapon's cache

There haven't really been large clashes between the Mehdi Army and US forces since 2004.

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TheWraith

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:22 PM
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5. Also taking over areas of the country.

Ironically, our clashes with him, and our three aborted attempts to take him out, gave him more power and respect on the street. He was seen as the guy who had forced the US to back off. He's spent the time since building up his forces, and asserting a sort of ad-hoc Sharia law over areas of the country. When you hear about a store which sells liquor being destroyed, or a homosexual being killed, or an attack on Iraqis in western clothing, there's a good chance that Sadr's boys were involved.

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TheWraith

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:17 PM
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3. What a load of bullshit.

The Mahdi Army is not "pro government." They're a hardline militant organization backing Islamic Sharia law. They've been at open war with the US and the occupation government at least three times. And they're getting ready to take over the place by force the minute we leave. They're run by a guy who resembles Fred Phelps with darker skin.

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Selatius

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:25 PM
Response to Reply #3

6. They're "pro-government" because Sadr is now represented in the gov't

He adopted a more diplomatic approach to evicting the US as opposed to utilizing pure force in 2004 and losing a lot of militiamen doing so.

The Mehdi Army now enjoys the same status that other major Shi'ite militias enjoy, most notably the Badr Brigades.

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TheWraith

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:28 PM
Response to Reply #6

7. When a political party is dedicated to overthrowing the government...

I still regard that as being anti-government. If Sadr has his way, his guys will never run for reelection.

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Selatius

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:31 PM
Response to Reply #7

8. Al-Sistani would keep his power checked, I'm sure

The Shi'ites are unified for now as far as pushing the US out, but they are by no means on the same page as far as other issues. Sadr wishes he had the clout and pull that the more moderate Sistani has, and Sistani has his own militia as well as influence over the Badr Brigades.

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Roland99

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Fri Jul-07-06 01:19 PM
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4. They're behind the Taliban-esque oppression throughout southern Iraq.

BIG step backwards for Iraq.

Decent info in wikipedia, too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahdi_Army

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