Iraqi cleric al-Sadr calls ceasefire

[mumon]

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5182082





BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered his militia to end attacks on U.S.
and Iraqi government forces and will soon unveil plans to pursue his goals through politics rather than
conflict, aides say.

Iraq's interim government has been pressuring Sadr, whose Mehdi Army militia launched two bloody
uprisings in Iraq this year, to renounce violence and to enter the political arena ahead of elections due to be
held in January.

"The Mehdi Army is now turning to peaceful struggle. We will have to see in the future -- that could
change. But now it is peaceful," Sadr aide Sheikh Mahmoud al-Sudani told Reuters on Monday.

"Moqtada will declare his participation in Iraq's political process. He will not participate directly in elections
but he will appoint and back someone from his side or elsewhere."



this could get interesting: imagine if this guy got into the Iraq government... wouldn't be good for Haliburton.

[Radius]

1. Every

Man has a price. Politicians are bought and sold every day.

[mumon]

2. Well, these fundamentalists...

have funny prices.

They generally don't like Haliburton in Iraq - heck, the unemployed are al Sadr's base.

[Radius]

3. He

put down his gun and joined a democratic process. we'll see how fundies like political power and oil money.

[thebigidea]

5. Ask Bush, he seems to like political power and oil money.

[Disturbed]

4. al Sistani..

had a stern talk with the youngster.

[Aidoneus]

6. these ceasefires and switchbacks will kill him..

before any crusader bullet gets the chance to. The self-serving capitulation a couple months ago cost him time away to nurse a knife wound; now, some of his commanders are very angry at the latest moves.

[bemildred]

7. Why?

What do they think he should be doing?
Is this available to read in English?