Militia Leader Al-Sadr Studying Up

Powerbroker Quietly Resumes Seminary Studies In Pursuit Of Revered "Ayatollah" Title

(CBS/AP)  Muqtada Al-Sadr currently has the relatively low title of hojat al-Islam, which leaves his supporters no choice but to seek religious guidance from top establishment clerics - many of whom al-Sadr sees as out of touch with common Iraqis and accuses of acquiescing to Washington's demands.

The aides said al-Sadr was currently on a path to achieve ayatollah rank possibly by 2010 or earlier. His studies were under the supervision of senior clerics in the Shiite holy city of Najaf - where al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fought grinding urban battles with U.S. forces in 2004.

In 2000, al-Sadr enrolled in "outside research" - roughly the equivalent of a doctoral program. Afghan-born Grand Ayatollah Ahmed Issaq al-Fayadh, one of Najaf's four top clerics, supervised him when he joined, but al-Sadr's attendance has been spotty since 2003.

Successful candidates qualify for ayatollah upon completion of the rigorous Islamic studies. But it's also necessary to have a family pedigree in Islamic scholarship and a following among seminary students and laymen.

Al-Sadr should have no problem. His father, Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, is the namesake for the teeming Shiite district in Baghdad known as Sadr City - called Saddam City before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Saddam Hussein's agents killed al-Sadr's father and two brothers in 1999.

Significantly, the aides said, the main focus of al-Sadr's studies has been the Shiite doctrine known in Arabic as "wilayet al-faqeeh," which supports the right of clerical rule. The concept was adopted by Iran's Khomeini, but carries little support among Iraq's Shiite religious hierarchy.

Al-Sadr has not been seen in public since May but is believed to travel frequently between Iran and Najaf. His whereabouts are never revealed by his aides and he rarely gives media interviews.

Al-Sadr also is seeking to give the Mahdi Army a more religious bloodline, the aides said.

Some militiamen are taking seminary lessons for three hours a day, five days a week in private homes and out-of-the-way mosques to escape the detection of the U.S. military.

The aides said only those who pass seminary exams will remain in the militia, which has been splintered by defections from factions favoring closer ties with Iran and opposing an order in August to put down weapons for six months.

The move was seen as an attempt by al-Sadr to reclaim control of the militia and weed out mutineers. It has been credited for a noticeable reduction in violence, but appears to have emboldened the U.S. military to step up a crackdown against Mahdi leaders.

The cleric's absence from the public eye has raised some questions about his control of the movement, although his aides said he has been in regular contact with key lieutenants. His loyalists hold 30 of parliament's 275 seats, the largest share by a single party.

Al-Sadr pulled out his ministers from the Shiite-dominated government in April and later pulled out from the umbrella Shiite alliance in parliament.

Tensions in southern Iraq have risen sharply in recent weeks as the United States and Britain prepare to scale down their presence, leaving behind a potentially dangerous power vacuum.

Next week, Britain plans to hand over control of Basra province, the most important in the south. The Pentagon has diverted much of its attention to battles in central and northern Iraq against Sunni extremists, including al Qaeda in Iraq.

In his latest statement, however, al-Sadr counseled his followers to be patient in the face of "predicament" and commended them on their adherence to his order to stand down. But the aides said al-Sadr's own patience may be running thin and a showdown with the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council may be imminent.

"If this continues for much longer, the Sadrist movement will strike back," warned one of the aides. "This could have grave consequences for everyone."

[ivandrago]

He''s about to upgradeDD. That''s right, 2 D''s for a double dose of that pimpin'' dogma. Dogmatic for life. Yeah, yeah. Repressentin'' to the fullest beaaaach.

[speakinup]

To give you a clue on feelfree1, in the past he has: called both Hillary and Bush nazis, praised hugo chavez, and now he adds religious hate to his resume.

I have not problems with atheist. It is a personal choice, but when you make fun of someone for their religious beliefs - you have definitly stepped over the line on the intent of our constitution.

Really representative of the US public isn''t he.

[tbweb]

Advanced studies are good, everyone knows the value of education, and as long as Muqtada al-Sadr is not studying to fly Jetliners and then teaching others to do the same no one needs to be too concerned, especially if those Jetliners won''t be flown in the U.S.!!

[underdogus]

"I can''''''''''''''''t "prove" to you that there is no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny."
Posted by FeelFree1 FEELFREE1 IS A COWARD,A FRAUD, AND A PHONY!!!

[yongamerica]

"I can''''''''t "prove" to you that there is no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny."
Posted by FeelFree1

No one is asking for you to prove anything make believe. All that is being asked is you prove your point with even one simple fact. Until then you have nothing to offer but unsubstantiated barbarous opinions.

[underdogus]

hummm should i get a burrito?

[toolmangler-2009]

The only thing we can do now is either ''martyr'' him now, or get out,now.

[neoconrcrazy]

After sacrificing those American heros, masses of iraqi innocents, billions of $$, look at what we''re getting in return !

Another eye-ya-tolla !

Does anyone think this guy belongs to us ?

I think we just invested a bundle in a repeat of "our shah in iran" - the neocons will never learn.

[underdogus]

MUQTADA AL-SARD: hmm, chicken shhiet AMERIKEN you infidel son of a B I T C H E S!!! git me a hamburger hold the onions!!

[yongamerica]

No Feelfree1, too long you have nothing but crass coments. You add not fact or anything constructive to any discussion. Now you playing some sort of religious card as what? What does the facts have to do with religon? Are you trying to insult me with your religious comments or showing your contempt for non-Islamic practices, help me out here because I can''t tell which *** you are speaking out of here. Just give me a fact to prove any part of this article, which I quoted as my basis for this argument, wrong. So far all you have supplied in this argument is genuine contempt and disrespect. You are stooping pretty low tonight. So I as said, PROVE ME WRONG. Simple, prove me wrong.

[toolmangler-2009]

Yeah? How many tours of combat have you had there Swastika Breath? ROFLMAO You NeoCon''''s just don''''t get it do you?? We tried this already...IT DOES NOT WORK... Democracy can not take root at the point of a gun. The PEOPLE who wish to be free must be willing to fight for it and NOT for some leader... Something you fascist have never learned I''''m afraid. The fact is that you can not "Give" democracy to anyone...

Posted by MCVet at 06:01 PM : Dec 14, 2007


I won''t call you names. Instead I will say open ''your'' eyes and look. Saddam controlled by fear, Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini, controlled by fear, Al Sadr controls by fear, Syria controls by fear, Iran is controlled by fear. Democracy cannot work in a country which is run by religion first and Government second,

[feelfree1]

yongamerica,

Shall I check back in an hour to see if you have anything to add to your faith-based idiocy?

[feelfree1]

Correction:

"I can''t "prove" to you that there is no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny. Does that mean that these entities must exist, by your foolish faith-based reasoning?"

Did your parents ever have any children that lived?

[feelfree1]

yongamerica,

Re: "Yes, this very article I quoted from."

You appear to be compounding your stupidity here.
Let me review for you, as your retention abilities appear to be as faulty as your reasoning:

Re: "Comparisons are often drawn between al-Sadr''s strategy - a mix of militia strength, well-tuned street politics and social outreach - and the hallmarks of Hezbollah,"

This is exactly what I am talking about. Whenever some anonymous author offers unsubstantiated "comparisons" and identifies alleged "hallmarks" of anything that supports the failing fascistic drive, the Bush regime boot/arse-lickers gobble it up and cite it as fact.

This is yet another symptom of your advanced faith-based brain disease.

Is Hezbullah in Iraq? No they are not.

Is Hamas in Iraq? No they are not.

But what differnece does it make? As long as these implications support your dead-brained, dead-ender ideals, you will eagerly gobble them up, and regurgitate them ad-nauseum.

Again, can you cite a single verified report that supports this B.S.?

Are these "common facts" anything more than symptoms of your own ignorance and gullibility? It sure does not look that way.

I can "prove" to you that there is no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny. Does that mean that these entities must exist, by your faith-based reasoning?

[yongamerica]

Yes, this very article I quoted from. I guess reading is not your forte.

But you who claim to be so right, prove me wrong. I dare.

[feelfree1]

yongamerica,

Re: "Can you prove me otherwise?
Didn''t think so. Proof is a 2 way street."

The complete lack of substantiation is evidence of the weakness and nonsensical nature of these claims, as has been underlined by your inability to cite even a single substantiated report.

The burden of proving dead-brained unsubstantiated hype, is on the dead-brain that makes the empty assertions (psst- that''s you).

Again, can you cite a single verified report that supports this B.S.? Even one?

[yongamerica]

Can you prove me otherwise?
Didn''t think so. Proof is a 2 way street.

[feelfree1]

yongamerica,

Re: "Facts are hard for you to swallow."

Hype and empty blather seem to be very easy for you to injest, on the other hand, as you have demonstrated here.

Facts are points that you can support. Dead-brained blather, is what you have mistakenly presented here as fact.

Again, can you cite a single verified report that supports this B.S.?

Re: "Making me laugh, I''m not Muslim"

I had already assumed that you were a Christofascist, a Zionist, or the victim of some similarly damgerous and debilitating brain disease.

[yongamerica]

"This is yet another symptom of your advanced faith-based brain disease." - Feelfree1

Making me laugh, I''m not Muslim

[yongamerica]

Facts are hard for you to swallow. You are the one choking on the truth here. When you start the name calling its easy to see you don''t like the truth.

do your own homework, the facts will set you free