Article

2007-03-22 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2007-03-22 07:51|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Any connection with the release of another Mookie aide yesterday? A 'trade' brokered by Maliki?

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-03-22 08:01|| 2007-03-22 08:01|| Front Page Top

#2 Different guy, that one had been in the slammer for two years. More on Qais Khazaali here: The violent Shiite militia known as the Mahdi Army is breaking into splinter groups, with up to 3,000 gunmen now financed directly by Iran and no longer loyal to the firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, adding a potentially even more deadly element to Iraq's violent mix.
The militia commanders and al-Maliki's reports identify the leader of the breakaway faction as Qais al-Khazaali, a young Iraqi cleric who was a close al-Sadr aide in 2003 and 2004. He was al-Sadr's chief spokesman for most of 2004, when he made nearly daily appearances on Arabic satellite news channels. He has not been seen in public since late that year.

Another U.S. official, who declined to be identified because of the information's sensitivity, said it was true that some gunmen had gone to Iran for training and that al-Khazaali has a following. However, the official could not confirm the number of his followers or whether Iran was financing them.

Sounds like a big catch

Posted by Steve 2007-03-22 09:05|| 2007-03-22 09:05|| Front Page Top

#3 I know it's a different guy - just wondering if the guy that was released was let go in return for information to get these guys. I would probably make such a trade if the opportunity presented.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-03-22 09:55|| 2007-03-22 09:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Possibly. Might have pointed out that with Mookey hiding out in Iran, there was a oportunity to grab himself a bigger piece of the pie if the Khazaali klan was out of the way.

Posted by Steve 2007-03-22 12:27|| 2007-03-22 12:27|| Front Page Top

#5 the Mahdi Army is breaking into splinter groups, with up to 3,000 gunmen now financed directly by Iran and no longer loyal to the firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, adding a potentially even more deadly element

Q: If it consolidates what is it?
A: Potentially more deadly.

Q: If it spliters into 10,00 individuals how would the Mahdi Army best be described?
A: Potentially more deadly.

Q: What do you think will become of the Mahdi Army
A: Surging violence will recruit potentially more deadly recruits.

Q: If the Mahdi Army is killed to a man, what would happen.
A: It would breed more terror.

Posted by Shipman">Shipman 2007-03-22 13:19|| 2007-03-22 13:19|| Front Page Top

#6 da code ship, you've unlocked pandora's BOX.

smellls tho...

;-)

btw interesting connect Glenmore.

Posted by RD 2007-03-22 13:50|| 2007-03-22 13:50|| Front Page Top

23:48 USN, ret.
23:45 JosephMendiola
23:43 JosephMendiola
23:42 USN, ret.
23:41 Frank G
23:40 Frank G
23:38 Shipman
23:34 49 Pan
23:24 WTF
23:16 SteveS
23:03 3dc
23:00 Jackal
22:59 OldSpook
22:57 ed
22:56 OldSpook
22:53 trailing wife
22:53 Jackal
22:52 3dc
22:52 OldSpook
22:50 OldSpook
22:46 OldSpook
22:43 OldSpook
22:42 OldSpook
22:42 Zhang Fei