Article

2008-05-23 Iraq

Sistani supports govt measures to impose rule of law-Iraqi PM

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-05-23 07:22|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 given that neither of the two seemingly contradictory positions come from the horses own mouth, so to speak, its not that surprising they contradict. Clearly he IS concerned about a gang up of Americans, sunnis, and seculars on Sadr accompanied by a break up of Shia unity, apparently instigated by teh Americans. OTOH when maliki walks on and hands him a laundry list of Sadrs crimes and a detail of the situation on the ground in Basra before and after, its kinda hard for Sistani to say "we shoulda left the thugs in control of Basra"

Interesting chess game Maliki is playing, to keep Sistani in line.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-05-23 09:16|| 2008-05-23 09:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Hard for me to imgagine Sistani has much affection for the marble-mouthed pretender to Shi'a scholarship, whose outfit was so popular the last time it dominated Sistani's hometown of Najaf that the locals were moved to capping straggling JAM members on their own initiative even before the US and the Iraqis moved in to wipe them out (er, fight them to a "standoff", in MSM parlance).

The dynamics that boosted JAM, as defender of the Shi'a, were driven entirely by Sunni barbarism and terror, accompanied by US passivity, in 2005 and early 2006. When the combo of Sunni switcheroo and demonstration of US will (the surge) turned the tables, mookie's oxygen supply suddenly was nearly choked off.

Posted by Verlaine 2008-05-23 12:03|| 2008-05-23 12:03|| Front Page Top

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