| The boy has delusions of grandeur, doesn't he? |
Sadr called on the Iraqi government to âget rid of the occupationâ when he spoke to the Al-Arabiya television channel in Saudi Arabia, where the young cleric had been taking part in the annual hajj pilgrimage for the first time.
The firebrand leader said he was willing to help rid the country of foreign forces by taking part in âprotests, strikes and peaceful marches.â He also accused the US military of creating the presumed leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, who is blamed by US and Iraqi officials for some of the worst attacks in the country. âAs long as the occupation remains in Iraq, Zarqawi will continue to harm the security and stabilityâ of the country, Sadr said.
As for political wrangling taking place following the December 15 general election, Sadr insisted he was above politics. At the same time, he indicated he would help bring together the different Iraqi political groups to create the next government, but warned this would be impossible to do under the occupation.