It explains a lot.
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| Iraq |
| Al-Sadr Forms Shadow Government In Baghdad Stronghold |
| 2006-03-16 |
| Erbil, 16 March (AKI) - A Kurdish source in Baghdad has told a Kurdish national daily that the Mahdi Army, the militia of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, " has set up a shadow government in Sadr City in the centre of Baghdad". The source told the Aso daily: "this group was tasked with carrying out the affairs of the city in the place of the Iraqi government and institutions." The source explained that the Mahdi Army, accused of kidnappings and sectarian killings, has transformed the rundown Sadr city into an independent district with its security forces and its own courts which do not only judge local residents but also Shiites from other areas of the capital. The source alleged that "the health and transport ministers, which both are headed by minsiters from the Sadr faction, have been completely monopolised by followers of this movement" adding that "in Sadr City the police forces, for example the local police, take their orders from Moqtada al-Sadr and not from the interior ministry." The Cultural Network of Iraq, an internet site which publishes news on the Shiite community, has said that "the peoples courts in Sadr City have condemned to death terrorists who carried out massacres in the city." The former government of Iyad Allawi and the movement of al-Sadr,. who has headed two lengthly revolts against the US-led coalition forces, clashed over these courts, which have special police forces and prisons. When the authorities in Baghdad tried to close them down and disband the militias they failed. The power of Sadr's militia and his huge constituency of loyal Shiite voters have made him a growing force in Iraq. Gunmen wearing the old Mahdi Army uniform of black pants and black shirts - abandoned for civilian gear in recent days - are blamed for some of the worst retaliatory raids and killings in Baghdad following the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra on 22 February. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #18 Now that is a darn good idea - watch the entire B5 5-year arch in sequence...... I dont think I've watched it in sequence before. I had a hard time catching it when it was originally shown... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-03-16 22:48 |
| #17 Nah! I NEVER woulda guessed anyone else here woulda been a B5 frea ... uh ... person. Everything I ever need to learn, I learned from Babylon 5. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2006-03-16 22:17 |
| #16 I prefer Booji, the Vorlon Fertility God. Considering I've been blitzing B5, now on S3 and they just broke away from earth.... |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2006-03-16 21:37 |
| #15 "Ivonova is always right. I will listen to Ivonova. I will not ignore Ivonova's recommendations. Ivonova is God. And, if this ever happens again, Ivonova will personally rip your lungs out!" -- Commander Susan Ivonova; Babylon 5, 'A Voice in the Wilderness' |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-03-16 21:09 |
| #14 Oh, "Shadow Government"... I get it....duh.... Where the heck are the Vorlons when you need them? Remember. Trust Ivonova. Trust Sheridan. Anyone else...shoot them. |
| Posted by: kelly 2006-03-16 19:28 |
| #13 Because we are senstitive to the special needs of other cultures. |
| Posted by: kelly 2006-03-16 19:24 |
| #12 Please tell me again why we didn't knock off this a-hole about two years ago? |
| Posted by: Happy 88mm 2006-03-16 19:07 |
| #11 Another picture, showing his new associates to scale: It explains a lot. |
| Posted by: Phil 2006-03-16 18:52 |
| #10 Mookie's alive by the grace of Sistani, IIRC. |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2006-03-16 17:44 |
| #9 Been there, stepped on those... in Georgia. |
| Posted by: Visitor 2006-03-16 16:33 |
#8  /Babylon 5 |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-03-16 16:31 |
| #7 Another oportunity for shock and awe. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-03-16 15:36 |
| #6 Mookie is alive by the grace of Centcom ... it's time to rectify that error. |
| Posted by: doc 2006-03-16 15:26 |
| #5 Like a Cattlemen's Association - only with turbans and RPG's? LOL. Indeed, it's time for the Iraqis to choose between their ancient ways or becoming a nation based upon the rule of law. |
| Posted by: Glert Thetch2165 2006-03-16 15:07 |
| #4 This is where the Iraqi government decides if it will be a nation or not. They must put their foot down on this sort of thing now before it gets out of control (again).... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-03-16 14:58 |
| #3 Somebody needs to put that boy down |
| Posted by: kelly 2006-03-16 14:43 |
| #2 Does this mean Sadr is working for the Shadows? |
| Posted by: Phil 2006-03-16 14:25 |
| #1 and Sadr city is also a handy target for Zarqawi's gang - hence the coordinated suicide bomb attacks there last week |
| Posted by: mhw 2006-03-16 14:15 |