There was a time when Mr. Maliki and al Sadr were of likes minds. Their political wills were not different from each other, or so it was portrayed.
NOW, that the USA has armed men to take orders from Maliki he has his own militia no different than Hakim or the Sistani Shi'ites. The Maliki dilemma is that how does he maintain his militia without the USA catching on that he is not in control of Iraq? He does it in the name of 'national security' and picks on the Sistani Shi'ites rather than start a civil war with the Badr Brigade.
I guess Generals Bush/Maliki figure they will deal 'the deadly blows' to the militias one at a time. First, take down the Mahdi Army and then turn on the Badr Brigade. I suggest 'they work it out' before there is more genocide of people standing 'on the side lines.'
You know Maliki isn't such a dumb guy. He knows who likes him and who doesn't and after the slaughter of 1000 people in Basra at no provocation, he knows his political will has waned so he may as well call the people there 'enemies.' First the Sistani Shi'ites and then Hakim's folks. Sounds like genocide to me !!
A man holds up a banner depicting Mr Maliki as an American pawn during a protest in Sadr City.
One might ask themselves, if Iraqi, British and American forces came and killed children in the name of 'exticating militias,' while there is a sustainable peace otherwise would citizens actully give a damn about who maintains control over the region and oil? Heck NO !!!!! Dead citizens, dead children, dead HUMAN BEINGS matter and when it is done continually with political entities that have UNBALANCED 'power bases' in a government then all people of every ethnicity have a right to exist and have their own power to stop others that would see the world differently.
An Iraqi man carries the body of his son, who was killed during clashes in Basra, during a funeral, while militia loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr guards a street in the city.
The Western rhetoric about 'loyality' is idiotic. The Mahdi Miliatia exists to protect the people of Southern Iraq from political entities in Baghdad !
