The New York Times: Moqtada al-Sadr's risk of alienating his base .. And popularity to the rise of low-Maliki


Date: Wed, 07/11/2012 1:10


















When he returned to Muqtada al-Sadr in the country early last year after 3 years of self-imposed exile in Iran, claimed the role of kingmaker exercise the victor, which proved decisive in its actions as ending months of deadlock, the election, as in the opinion of the New York Times.
The newspaper said "Now, with the departure of the U.S. Army, has emerged as a leader Moqtada al-Sadr, a more realistic; the heart of a political leader is looking forward to new ways to secure the claims to power, his movement achieved through what the newspaper described the violent opposition of the U.S. occupation."
And followed "the first thing to do is to return to the country and stability. In the absence of the manifestations of fanfare back in the last year that quickly followed by his return to Iran, says Mr. al-Sadr that he returned to Iraq to stay there, at least for the time being., Says he left temporarily his studies religion in Iran, which is seen widely as Raith, to attend a political crisis in Iraq on the competition for power among Iraq's Shiites and Sunnis and Kurds, forced the government to a standstill, and his movement to prepare for the upcoming elections. "

And alerted the newspaper that "Mr. Sadr joined Sunnis and Kurds in calling for ouster of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite as well. Also tested alliances other cross-sectarian by inviting candidates a year and Christians to enter under the banner of the Sadrists in provincial elections, scheduled for next year . These steps combined can help prepare them as a national and help him to shed baggage the past, when his militia was linked to some of the worst acts of sectarian violence. "
, However newspaper, "Mr. al-Sadr runs the risk of alienating his base of religious Shiites in Baghdad neighborhoods and poor areas of the south-urban areas. Can be heard criticizing the streets of Baghdad, as the survey was conducted in April for the National Democratic Institute, which was funded by the U.S. government, the popularity of Mr. Sadr in the low and Mr. al-Maliki on the rise. "

And told the newspaper "in the shop attached posters showing the face of Mr. Sadr on the outskirts of Sadr City slum in Baghdad, which bears the name of the family of al-Sadr and his stronghold of political, note Ismail Jabar, a change in the feelings of his clients toward Mr. Sadr," People criticize him more than ever, "adding," They do not accept what is happening "."

Jabbar explained that the decision of Mr. Sadr line up alongside Iyad Allawi, leader of the Iraqi opposition al-Maliki in a group targeting some who remember Mr. Allawi when he was Prime Minister of the transitional government in 2004 and 2005, the Mahdi Army, Sadr's militia is disbanded. He said that "part of the policy is to make your enemy your friend, and people do not understand this."

The newspaper reported, "It remains to be the Sadrists maintain, more than any other political party, the Association with the street and the ability to rally supporters. In the last month in Baghdad, came down several hundreds of Sadrists in a demonstration to protest against Mr. Maliki, and with shouts loud and describing the Prime Minister Emab and Qarnoh Saddam" . And followed the U.S. newspaper "As part of a new effort to expand contact with the different categories of Iraqi society, he called on Mr. Sadr recently told reporters at his family home in the holy city of Najaf. And days before that, he held a similar meeting with a group of artists and Iraqi representatives."

It quoted "sitting on a chair with back and front of a large table filled with plastic flowers and decorated with more of his father, Ayatollah Muqtada he inherited, Mr. Muqtada al-stroking ego, saying that" the media is the fourth power. Is very important. "" Ultimately, in the end, a journalist asked him: "Is Mr. Sadr will return to the city of Qom, where he lived and studied for several years?" Sadr replied, "After this crisis, if the last crisis," he said, "but I know there are other crises will occur at another time."

The newspaper "The movements of Mr. Sadr monitored by about a close in Iraq, and show news headlines president, but his decision is clear in Iraq to be the permanent headquarters has not received much attention in the local media. This may be a sign of maturity of the stream is at the same time political, military, and religious , condemns Bastelhamh that of the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Shiite movement that combine faith and social businesses stand to gain access to military power. as well as the grim political reality that exists in Iraq, has made ​​the seemingly impossible echoed Theloahat substantial. "

Hussein al-Kazim, a chest and a member of Parliament, "is now in Iraq, it is natural for him to be in Iraq."

The newspaper said that "the opposition by Mr. Sadr, Prime Minister and put away, at least symbolically, between current and Iran, which supported Mr. Maliki." She explained that "the degree to which controlled by Iran on the decisions of Mr. Sadr on the table for discussions and large-scale in Iraq and in policy circles Bank, and many say they believe he is Rhina the Iranian leadership. But Mr. Sadr also is the card is not guaranteed in Iraqi politics, he is a man who can not predict his movements . Vqrarh to continue to push to topple Maliki, even after what has been said that Iranian officials had asked him to decline suggests that the relationship with Iran is more complex now than many analysts believe. "

Sadr has said, "If I give my opinion, there is no one can change it, not Iran, nor any one else."

The newspaper pointed out that "Mr. al-Sadr rejected an advisory opinion issued by a review spiritual, Ayatollah Kazem Haeri, who lives in Iran, in which he announced that the Iraqi government should not be led by a secular character." And she, "It seems that this opinion was in response to the payment to topple Maliki, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Dawa Party."

Sadr said that "the Iraqi constitution, the first article in it, says that no decision should not be inconsistent with Islam," adding that "even if it came to the secular power, must not go against the constitution."

She drew the newspaper that "the feeling of victory, which is required to power the rise of the Sadrists and the return of Mr. Sadr in the last year gave way to the emergence of the reality of the difficulty of ruling Iraq, which did not allow Annagasamath Sdmath and only to achieve a minimum of political and social progress."

Ali said he thanked his customers a trim hair that "for 25 years, I was a barber in Sadr City, has not changed anything in my life." "After the occupation so far, the case is the same, but that electricity has become worse."






The Editor: Mustafa

https://translate.googleusercontent.c...IdzkT3nGxXRxzg