Tag "moqtada al-sadr"
Bringing Ireland to Baghdad: How the Resistance Will Eventually Kick the Americans Out By Gary Brecher for AlterNetIt’s very easy to see what’s up in Iraq right now — if you’re willing to face it. The trouble is, most “experts” aren’t willing. That has been the pattern right from the beginning. We didn’t want to admit there even was an insurgency, and even now, nobody misses a chance to declare
First, please take a look at this al-Jazeera report: First, a superficial impression: the contrast between the dignified attitude of Salah al-Obeidi (the Sadrist spokesman) and the petty bickering of the two other participants of this show. Second, listening to this conversation I think that one can only come to one objective conclusion: the only real patriots are the Sadrists. The Kurds are clearly sold to the Americans. Considering how
Press TV reports: Iraq’s influential leader Moqtada al-Sadr has announced plans to set up a new resistance group to fight US occupation in the country. “The resistance will be carried out exclusively by a special group which I will announce later,” Sadr said in a statement read out at a mosque in the holy town of Kufa. The cleric vowed to uphold resistance against the occupiers until the liberation of
Many thanks to Anita for this most interesting contribution!My comments in green italics inside the text of the original article `Angry’ Iran sharpens tone with Baghdad’s leaders BAGHDAD (AP) — When a group of Iraqi envoys headed to Iran recently, they were fully prepared for some tense moments. But they also hoped to come away with something to show for it: pledges of cooperation on weakening Shiite militias in Iraq.
Alalam reports: BAGHDAD, May 10–The movement of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said Saturday it had reached an agreement with Iraqi officials to end weeks of fighting in Baghdad. Sheikh Salah al-Obeidi, the spokesman for the cleric’s office in the central shrine city of Najaf, said the deal reached with a government delegation would be effective from Sunday. “This agreement will be executed from tomorrow. The Sadr movement has agreed to
The rumors about a US attack on Iran have been recently re-energized by the sacking of Admiral Fallon, the arrival of a new US Navy Carrier in the vicinity of the Persian Gulf, Cheney’s recent visit to the region, General David “Ass-kissing chickenshit” Petraeus’ testimony in Congress, Secretary Gate’s silly comments about Iran wanting nukes after all, nevermind the NIE, or the New York Times resuming some of its worst
TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior member of Iran’s negotiating team with the United States on Iraqi security demanded a halt to US attacks in Iraq before any new round of talks with Washington. “If US savage attacks against the Iraqi people are stopped, we will examine the US request for a fourth round of talks,” an Iranian official told FNA. “The Iraqi government and the United States have officially invited Iran
A Press TV exclusive interview with Sheikh Salah Obeidi, Sadr’s official spokesman The following is the transcript of an Interview with Sheikh Salih al-Obaidi, Moqtada al-Sadr’s spokesman: Q. A meeting was held on Monday between the Sadr Party and President Talabani to discuss the ongoing violence in Baghdad’s Sadr city. Clashes have been ensuing between Iraqi and US-led forces and armed groups including members of the Mahdi Army for a
Al-Manar reports: At least eight people have been killed and 22 others injured, including women and children, in renewed fighting between joint US-Iraqi forces and Mahdi Army fighters in Sadr City east of Baghdad. A security source said that the fighting that erupted Sunday predawn included US airstrikes on the City. Loudspeakers at mosques in Baghdad’s Sadr City blared out a call to arms soon after Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr warned
Aijaz Ahmad: Wall meant to partition Sadr City’s residents is population control ahead of elections As violence continued in Baghdad’s Sadr City district on Friday, attention turned to the wall US forces are building through the neighborhood–a wall that is reminiscent of the one Israel built around the Palestinian territories, as well as US military tactics used during the Vietnam War. The Real News analyst Aijaz Ahmad says that the
The Agenda Behind The Anti-Sadr Agenda by Muriel Mirak-Weissbach for GlobalResearch.ca When Gen. David Petraeus along with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker gave their testimony to the Senate on April 9, they did nothing more than to confirm in spades what had been being mooted and duly leaked by the Washington-based press: that the Bush-Cheney Administration had officially endorsed the line that Iran should be set up for attack,
We all now that Gaza was, until now, the biggest open air prison in the world, a Gulag for Palestinians, so to speak. Now the Empire is in the process of “Gazatizing” (as in “Gitmoize Abu Ghraib”) and creating an even bigger (3’000’000+ people!) Gulag for Iraqis. Check out Pepe Escobar’s report for Real News Network: One needs to remember that the Empire just suffered a rather humiliating defeat in
Inter Press Service Analysis by Ali al-Fadhily and Dahr Jamail* BAGHDAD, Apr 12 (IPS) – Many Iraqis have come to believe that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is just as much a dictator as Saddam Hussein was. “Al-Maliki is a dictator who must be removed by all means,” 35-year-old Abdul-Riza Hussein, a Mehdi Army member from Sadr City in Baghdad told IPS. “He is a worse dictator than Saddam; he
Ray McGovern: Was Cheney behind Iraqi army’s failed Basra offensive? Raymond McGovern is a retired CIA officer turned political activist. McGovern was a Federal employee under seven U.S. presidents over 27 years, presenting the morning intelligence briefings at the White House for many of them. McGovern was born and raised in the Bronx, graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University, received an M.A. in Russian Studies from Fordham, a certificate
(thanks to Ayaz for this contribution!) By Justin Elliott for Mother Jones (via Truthout) From Baghdad, veteran Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn explains why Muqtada al-Sadr is no maverick. “Interview in Baghdad,” “Interview in Najaf,” “Interview in Basra,” “Interview in Amara”: The endnotes at the back of Middle East correspondent Patrick Cockburn’s new book read like an atlas of Iraq. Such is the depth of reporting in Cockburn’s Muqtada: Muqtada
by Leila Fadel for McClatchy Newspapers Iraqi lawmakers traveled to the Iranian holy city of Qom over the weekend to win the support of the commander of Iran’s Qods brigades in persuading Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr to order his followers to stop military operations, members of the Iraqi parliament said. Sadr ordered the halt on Sunday, and his Mahdi Army militia heeded the order in Baghdad, where the Iraqi
Sadr Fighters Withdraw from Baghdad, Basra Streets Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered his Mahdi Army fighters on Monday to withdraw from the streets in a move signaling the end of clashes which erupted in the southern port city of Basra and quickly spread to areas across Iraq. The Sadr group in Baghdad confirmed that fighters from Mahdi Army were no longer deployed in the capital. “Sadr movement and
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA for AP news Influential members of Muqtada al-Sadr’s movement have urged the anti-U.S. Shiite cleric not to extend a cease-fire when it expires next month, officials said Monday, a move that could jeopardize recent security gains. The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization, meanwhile, gave a higher death toll than Iraqi officials from last week’s devastating house explosion in the northern city of Mosul. The relief organization said more
