Key Iraqi Leaders Deliver Setbacks to U.S.

Key Iraqi Leaders Deliver Setbacks to U.S.

www.washingtonpost.com

The Bush administration's Iraq policy suffered two major setbacks Friday when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki publicly rejected key U.S. terms for an ongoing military presence and anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called for a new militia offensive against U.S. forces.

The moves by two of Iraq's most powerful Shiite leaders underscore how the presence of U.S. troops has become a central issue for Iraqi politicians as they position themselves for provincial elections later this year. I

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This is really bad for the US troops in Iraq. It is one thing to have the government reject the deal but quite another to have one of the most powerful clerics in Iraq call for renewed attacks on US forces.

...Sadr called for a new armed wing of his Mahdi Army militia to fight U.S. troops. Sadr had ordered the militia to cease carrying weapons last August -- a leading factor in the recent decline in violence -- although U.S. military officials have asserted that renegade militia units have continued the fight under instructions from Iran.

Salah al-Obaidi, Sadr's chief spokesman, said the order was essentially a full-scale reorganization of the Mahdi Army, transforming it from a militia into a permanent peaceful organization with a small armed wing of several hundred or so members. He said the cease-fire for the rest of the movement would remain in force.

So it seems it is a mixed message, but IMHO that makes the situation for our troops even more tenuous. This is something to keep an eye on for sure.


www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)