Sadr dumps Iran
2007-06-25 · Original WordPress address
Apparently Mr. Sadr (of Sadr City fame) has issued a statement accusing Iran of supporting al-Qaeda in Iraq. From what I can tell, this is big news (from the link at the bottom of the page):
Then what made Moqtada go in the direction he did?
It was the result of factors that accumulated over time, and matured during his visit to Tehran. Sadr finally realized that his role was only second or third to that of the SIIC of Hakim, or the Dawa Part. A situation that a young revolutionary leader who won all his fame and clout in just a few short years couldn’t tolerate. In those years his name, and his army, rocketed upward in the media headlines and proved a powerful presence on the ground. Realizing that he’s being treated as a #2 made the ambitious, poorly educated youngster lose his balance. And he had little balance to give, compared to the older big-names who have extensive experience in the political world.
The publicity he got and the power he thinks he has put him in a position of accepting nothing less than being #1.
By distancing himself from Iran by accusing them of conspiring with al-Qaeda, Sadr has not only weakened them but he has weakened himself. This is a good thing if you think its those three factions that are preventing peace in Iraq. (I should add that I think the American presence is also a force against peace in the long run. The problem is in the short run Americans are providing stability. When does the short run become the long run?)