"Sounds like the Mahdi militia is in the tent," said their interpreter, Mohammed Noshi.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16593084/

Battling with Sadr for Iraqi soldiers’ hearts

U.S. troops fear many in Iraqi army are loyal to renegade Shiite cleric

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi soldiers broke into chants to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the creation of their army.

"Muhammad, Haider, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn!" shouted a group of dancing soldiers, bellowing the names of the prophet and other long-dead Islamic icons revered by Shiite Muslims.

A second later, the name of a living Shiite figure came out of the din. "Moqtada! Moqtada!" one soldier exclaimed, invoking the name of Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric and leader of the Mahdi Army militia that American officials blame for many of the worst acts of violence in Baghdad.

Standing quietly in the crowd were four U.S. Army officers, there to represent the team of American soldiers advising the Iraqis. "Sounds like the Mahdi militia is in the tent," said their interpreter, Mohammed Noshi.

Bought it at a flea market for $9.95.

:eyes:

direct descendant of King Arthur, King John, and Augustus Caesar, you'll believe me?

The fact that some Shi'ites preach that they're superior and worthy of emulation and rule because of their bloodlines provides a wonderful motivation for making sure that bastards are never admitted, and ambiguities interpreted in their favor.

That Shi'ites believe in hereditary theocrats is unfortunate; they picked up on an obnoxious bit of Byzantine thought (not that they're unique in the ME in borrowing promiscuously but preserving the worst). Oppression hasn't been kind to them, but has been no less kind--and arguably more kind--to them than they've been to themselves.

important fact in Shia support for Muqtada al-Sadr.

Anyone commanding troops in combat needs to understand the forces that motivate the enemy to die for their commander, e.g Japanese soldiers who died for the Emperor believing he descended from gods, Russian soldiers who died for the Tsar believing he was divinely appointed, and others.

I do not mean that Muqtada al-Sadr is anywhere close to leaders like the Emperor or Tsar but the fact that he is a descendant of the prophet Mohammad does give him more creditability than other Shia leaders.

with, and living with, (while staying at Iraqi Police Stations) when the new tactic is up and running. Our kids will be following them into battle.

How can this be anything less than disasterous?

we are so screwed.

This just beyond belief. :(

I read an article in The Guardian last night about the evolving Sunni insurgency, and apparently in Baghdad they're only attacking Americans if they're attached to Shiite units. Looks like our guys are headed straight into a meat grinder.

On his mobile phone he proudly showed me grainy images of dead bodies lying in the street, their hands tied behind their backs . He claimed they were Shia agents and that he had killed them. "There is a new jihad now," he said, echoing Abu Omar's warning. "The jihad now is against the Shia, not the Americans."

In Ramadi there was still jihad against the Americans because there were no Shia to fight, but in Baghdad his group only attacked the Americans if they were with Shia army forces or were coming to arrest someone.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1989397,00.html

it's the Saudi's that are aiding the Sunni, right?

The Saudis are Sunni...and they were the ones who summoned Cheney over Thanksgiving to promise them we wouldn't leave Iraq. Nice that our Army is being directed by Saudia Arabia.

from article:
No figure seems more of an enigma to these soldiers than Sadr. His militia battled U.S. forces in the spring and summer of 2004 in the southern holy city of Najaf, then he reinvented himself as a political leader whose loyalists won 30 seats in parliament. In a sign of Sadr's political influence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who relies on the Shiite cleric for support, has banned most U.S. forces from conducting operations in Sadr City, home to 2.5 million people.

That's how horrendous this is. Active duty guys are appealling to Congress to stop killing them:



An Appeal for Redress from the War in Iraq

Many active duty, reserve, and guard service members are concerned about the war in Iraq and support the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The Appeal for Redress provides a way in which individual service members can appeal to their Congressional Representative and US Senators to urge an end to the U.S. military occupation. The Appeal messages will be delivered to members of Congress at the time of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January 2007.

The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple. It is patriotic and respectful in tone.

As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.

If you agree with this message, click here.

The Appeal for Redress is sponsored by active duty service members based in the Norfolk area and by a sponsoring committee of veterans and military family members. The Sponsoring committee consists of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans For Peace, and Military Families Speak Out.

Members of the military have a legal right to communicate with their member of Congress. To learn more about the rights and restrictions that apply to service members click here.

Attorneys and counselors experienced in military law are available to help service members who need assistance in countering any attempts to suppress this communication with members of Congress.

Click here to send the Appeal to your elected representatives.

http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=soldiers+appeal+redress+Congress&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D83baaeeb30f70c22%26clickedItemRank%3D3%26userQuery%3Dsoldiers%2Bappeal%2Bredress%2BCongress%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.appealforredress.org%252F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DNSCPIndex%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.appealforredress.org%2F