Sadr: Maliki Building a New Dictatorship
High-Profile Cleric Condemns Arrest Warrant Against MP, Arrests of Media
High profile Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has issued a statement today angrily condemning Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and accusing him of “building a new dictatorship,” citing the arrests and “liquidation” of media critics and the issuance of an arrest warrant against rival MP Sabah al-Saadi.
The statement went on to say that Iraq didn’t need “Saddam or clashes” and that Maliki should try to build his government coalition on partnership, adding that the effort to arrest Saadi had “annoyed” MPs within Sadr’s faction.
Saadi had accused Maliki of playing a role in the fabrication of stories critical of the Sadr-led Iraqi National Alliance (INA), and had called Maliki a dictator. He is charged with “insulting the government and insults against the prime minister,” charges which the Maliki government insisted could not be challenged.
Sadr’s comments show a growing discontent among the “partners” in Maliki’s coalition government, and his wording seemed designed to dare the Maliki government to treat him like he treated Saadi. Considering Sadr’s massive popular support, this is something he simply cannot do.
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Claude
September 21st, 2011 at 10:45 pm
duh …. did anyone expect to actually see 'democracy' in the wake of an American army?
The very best one might expect would be what Obama knows very well, which is democracy Chicago-style, where there's a pretense of elections but by some sort of magic the same family rules for decade after decade.
More likely than that, you find in the wake of an American army dictatorships, death squads and torture camps.
Andron
September 22nd, 2011 at 1:03 am
Bet the US will stand by Maliki
Actually this is a sure thing.
America has always backed the wrong man and will establish another despot in Iraq.
After all Sadam was America's man in Iraq until he fell out with Bush Sr.
John Ellis
September 22nd, 2011 at 6:18 am
Maliki can best be described as neutral-West somewhat pro-West, while Moqtada al-Sadr is anti-West all the way. So me thinks this all has to do with 50,000 legalized combat killers vanishing into thin air come 2012. For media will call them “trainers,” Iraqis will call them targets, and sojourn we shall a quantum leap into the unknown.
thedissenter
September 22nd, 2011 at 12:57 pm
~ Yawn ~
MvGuy
September 25th, 2011 at 5:37 am
'sojourn we shall a quantum leap into the unknown.'
Nice turn of phrase…
MvGuy
September 25th, 2011 at 5:45 am
Sadr seems to be the only honest Iraqi… Loyal to Iraq and the Iraqi people, not the Neocon Empire of liars, murderers and especially exploiters….. Lies and forgeries were the tools the U.S. administration used to invade Iraq and KILL a MILLION Iraqi's… One, any……… a moral person… or country would investigate HOW it occurred…. BUT all the politicians from both parties are too busy stuffing the contractor bribes into their campaign coffers….. "Fraudulent War..?? "What fraud…. What war… ??"