STRATEGYPAGE REPORTS:

IRAQ: Sadr Calls for His Army to Rise Up and Ask for a Ceasefire

August 7, 2004: Muqtada al Sadr’s Shia radical militia has lost over 400 dead in the last few days, and the government has given Sadr 24 hours to disband his militias. Sadr was unable to get a ceasefire, and is now denouncing the United States as the enemy of Iraq and Islam. The problem with this is that the majority of Iraqi Shia don’t like Sadr or his gunmen.

Zeyad has considerably more background, including this observation: “One also can’t help but wonder about the timing of Sistani’s departure from Najaf to London for treatment. The man is known for his subtle messages, could this be a sign for his tacit approval to finish Sadr and his militia once and for all?”

All of this stuff has been overshadowed to some degree by campaign news, which I suspect is how the White House likes it.

UPDATE: Alex Bensky emails: “It’s worth remembering that these are the sort of people Michael Moore compares to the Minutemen and to whom he lends his support.”

Didn’t I see him sitting with Jimmy Carter at the Democratic Convention?