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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated
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To: KLP who wrote (62102)8/20/2004 3:44:40 PM
From: Nadine Carroll  Read Replies (1) of 793954
 
Confusion Surrounds Seizure of Iraqi Mosque


This is HUGE. Surely, if the IP have the shrine, tours for journalists will follow straightaway?

Wow. Looks like Sadr didn't wannabe a martyr after all.

Edit: debka says it's not true. Fog of war, or maybe Allawi hoped to start a panic?

Fighting flares on Najaf streets after radical Shiite cleric Sadr’s militia confirmed still in control of Imam Ali Mosque Najef. Several hours of confusion sparked by Iraqi PM Allawi’s unsupported claim that Iraqi police had entered mosque and arrested 400 Mehdi Army militiamen. Standoff between rebels and US-Iraqi forces remains unresolved after two weeks of fighting.

Edit Again: Iraq the Model reports that Sistani says that militias should leave the shrine, a blow to Moqty:

Radio Sawa reported this afternoon that Al-Sistani from London gave an interview to a news website (link unavailable).
The reporter of Radio Sawa said :
Al-Sistani called the militias to leave Najaf immediately and hand over the city to the Iraqi government describing the presence of militias as illegitimate and that the presence these militias inside the shrine is desecrating its holiness.
Sistani had also stressed on the necessity to hold the elections according to the declared schedule saying that the results of the elections will decide who has the right to lead Iraq.
Sistani added “the coalition forces came and helped Iraqis to get rid of a brutal tyrant that murdered Iraqis and destroyed Iraq’s economy and they didn’t come to kill Muslims or attack Islam”.

This is almost too good to be true but Radio Sawa was always considered as a trust worthy source of information and I just hope that this is true as we’ve awaited such an announcement for a long time. It will deprive Muqtada of any significant legitimacy or credibility among the She’at if he had any previously. Muqtada and his thugs were dreaming to get support or at least silence from the She’at senior clerics. Now Muqtada is left with very little space to maneuver in; Sistani’s statement had put Muqtada in-between two hard choices either handing the city to the government and accepting the fact that he got defeated or he can go on with his crazy battle and get erased together with his militia.
This is important even with these breaking news. Such statements will greatly minimize any unfavorable sequel that may come after military operations due to a possible sympathy from simple minded Muslims towards an “Islamic movement” being destroyed by the government and the coalition forces.

Edit Again: the main Iraqi bloggers say the Iraqi media are reporting the arrest of 500 men from the shrine, the IP are negotiating a surrender with Sadr's men. Shrine still under partial Sadr control.
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