Al-Sadr 'hands over keys to Najaf shrine'

[bemildred]

As a tense calm returns to Najaf, aides of
Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr have reportedly
handed control of the Imam Ali
mosque to Iraq's senior Shia religious authorities.

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"The keys of the Imam Ali shrine have been handed over to
representatives of the Shia highest religious authority, Ayat
Allah Ali al-Sistani," said Ahmad al-Shaibani.

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Meanwhile, al-Sadr's supporters holed up in the mosque site may have found a way out without having to
surrender to Allawi and US-led occupation forces.



Al-Shaibani told Aljazeera al-Sadr's movement "has not closed
the door towards negotiations with the Iraqi government to end
fighting in Najaf but it is not ready to surrender."

al Jazeera

[Darranar]

1. So is he going to withdraw, or is this just a nominal transfer?

Has there been a deal we haven't heard about? I think the US would probably make noise about how they managed to "peacefully" neutralize al-Sadr, so if there is it's likely quite embarrasing to the US, and therefore a major success for Sadr.

Or is he trying to gain support from Shiites who don't like his presence in the shrine?

He has (had?) the US in a near-insolvable position on their part, and I'm sure he was smart enough to realize it; if he is going to withdraw he must be sure of some advantage in it.

That "tense calm" has returned to Najaf could mean that a deal has been struck or may be soon struck, or it could simply mean that the US and their Iraqi puppets have done all they're willing to do in the time being against Sadr.

Any major reaction yet to the damage to the shrine?

[bemildred]

2. They will leave now, I think.

He doesn't much care what the US/Allawi say at this point,
he appears to me to played them like a flute. Stay tuned.

[Darranar]

3. It appears that he already has withdrawn...

why, though?

[bemildred]

4. My guesses:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x764067#764189

[DivinBreuvage]

6. Netscape News headline spins it thus:

"Rebel Cleric Giving In After Massive U.S. Assault"

[alcuno]

5. The shrine and the mosque aren't the same thing, right?

Maybe I'm too much of a skeptic.

[ze_dscherman]

7. They are the same n/t

n/t