BAGHDAD, Oct. 6, 2007
Two Shiite Leaders Vow To Get Along
U.S. Death Toll Rises To 3,814; Iraqi Refugees Protest Resolution To Divide Country
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Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, left, and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Islamic Council in Iraq, agreed to end a bitter rivalry that has led to armed clashes in Baghdad and across the oil-rich south. (AP/Alaa Al-Marjani, Hadi Mizban)
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A military honor guard lowers the casket of Army Spc. Camy Florexil, 23, of Philadelphia, who was killed in Baghdad in July, during funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Oct. 5, 2007. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the largest Shiite political party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, have promised to "protect Iraqi blood and enhance cooperation between the two movements for the Islamic and national interests and to save the nation."
The agreement comes as mainstream politicians from Iraq's majority sect have been trying to bring al-Sadr back into the fold after his loyalists pulled out of the main Shiite bloc last month.
The Sadrists' pullout left the United Iraqi Alliance, which includes SIIC, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa party and some independents, with only 85 seats - a dramatic drop for an alliance that once held 130 seats in the 275-member parliament.
The deal also is an apparent bid to stem factional rivalries and violence that have threatened to spiral out of control, particularly in the oil-rich and mainly Shiite south.
The text of the agreement, signed by both leaders, was broadcast on the Shiite Al-Forat television station, which is run by SIIC. Officials representing both men confirmed the agreement but declined to give more details pending an official announcement.
The principles outlined included "the necessity of protecting and respecting Iraqi blood regardless of the situation or sect," mobilizing all Islamic and cultural institutions on both sides "to maintain friendly feelings and to avoid hatred" and to establish provincial committees aimed at keeping order.
Internal rivalries have been rising in recent months, with the assassination of two provincial governors belonging to SIIC and clashes in several cities between the Mahdi Army and Badr militiamen.
The tensions boiled over in late August when deadly street battles broke out in the holy city of Karbala during a major Shiite religious festival. Dozen of people were killed and anger mounted against the militia fighters, whom many see as criminals.
Trying to do damage control shortly after the Karbala clashes, al-Sadr announced a "freeze" of his militia activities for up to six months to allow for its restructuring. However, it is unclear how much control the youthful cleric maintains over his fighters as groups have splintered from the main movement.
The U.S. military has welcomed al-Sadr's call for his fighters to stand down but says it will continue targeting so-called rogue elements it believes are being trained and funded by Iran.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Iraqi refugees staged a sit-in in Damascus on Saturday to protest a recent nonbinding U.S. Senate resolution that encourages splitting Iraq along ethnic and religious lines.
Carrying Iraqi flags, about 400 protesters gathered in the al-Sayda Zeinab district. "No for occupation and no for division," read a placard carried by one refugee. "Dividing Iraq is the start for dividing all countries in the region," read another.
The resolution is seen in Iraq (and much of the Arab world) as a recipe for splitting the country along sectarian and ethnic lines.
"I'm here to express Iraqi national unity. Here, there is the Sunni, Shiite and the Kurdish under Iraq's umbrella," said Qusai al-Azami, 58.
Sheikh Abdul Nasser al-Janabi, a former member of Iraq's parliament, said that the political process in Iraq "has failed because it is run by the United States which seeks to divide Iraq."
Al-Janabi was sacked from the Iraqi parliament after declaring in June that he was joining Sunni-led insurgents.
The protesters delivered a message to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for a Security Council resolution that would reject the Senate resolution. It warned that the resolution "endangers Iraq and neighboring countries."
In Other Developments:
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Add a Comment
- Posted by zootallures2 at 01:22 AM : Oct 07, 2007
HEY!!!!! zooty believes his own propaganda... WOW!!!! - Reply to this comment
- CBS News: ''Sheikh Abdul Nasser al-Janabi, a former member of Iraq''''s parliament, said that the political process in Iraq "has failed because it is run by the United States which seeks to divide Iraq."
Al-Janabi was sacked from the Iraqi parliament after declaring in June that he was joining Sunni-led insurgents.''
-Another example of Walking-Liar Bush''''s Mercenary unrepresentative government. He''''s right, how can you trust someone saying that his government is defending the integrity of Iraq , while the congress is almost unanimously voting for splitting Iraq in 3 pieces if not more. Walking-liar is at it once again!!!!. Any surprise? - Reply to this comment
- Sheikh Abdul Nasser al-Janabi, a former member of Iraq''s parliament, said that the political process in CBS News: ''Iraq "has failed because it is run by the United States which seeks to divide Iraq."
Al-Janabi was sacked from the Iraqi parliament after declaring in June that he was joining Sunni-led insurgents.''
-Another example of Walking-Liar Bush''s Mercenary unrepresentative government. He''s right, how can you trust someone saying that his government is defending the integrity of Iraq , while the congress is almost unanimously voting for splitting Iraq in 3 pieces if not more. Walking-liar is at it once again!!!!. Any surprise? - Reply to this comment
- What is it any of your business? You blew up your own towers on 9/11. And even bombed them in 93. So you sleazy AmeriKKKans should just shut up. You have nothing to say about other people. Shut up, you make me sick.
- Reply to this comment
# Shiite Militia Leader in Iraq Nabbed in Raid
Fox News .com- Reply to this comment
- Send your kids to a summer camp run by these two evil losers. They''ll be able to drive a car-bomb when they come back home, use an AK-47, rape Sunni women and convinced they can''t think unless one of these two idiots tells them it ok.
- Reply to this comment
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