Re: screwing the hegemons US to leave Najaf and Kufa

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Burford" <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>

Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 11:22 PM

> It seems possible that the interim government is quite sophisticated
> and Allawi knows how to balance everything out, including how to use
> Shristani to neutralise Al Sadr's militia.


Yesterday BBC reported that Sistani and Al Sadr have met. No doubt
this had been prepared for some time so it is interesting they both
agreed to a public meeting.

Today BBC reports that the US is "pulling back" from the holy cities
of Najaf and Kufa to hand over the the Iraqi police (whoever they may
be)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3777407.stm

It is also reported that Al Sadr has agreed to withdraw his militia
from the cities, but that does not mean disbanding it. It means that
he is prepared to manage an accommodation with Shristani which they
have both given their names to publicly, in order to remove any excuse
for the hegemonic power to withdraw from the heart of the Shia
community.

What will really matter is whether Al Sadr will and can protect the US
troops from mortar attacks and attacks on their convoys, and what his
political price will be for this act of generosity.

The interim government has made a good start in managing negotiations,
no doubt some of them indirect, about the bodies of armed men in a way
favourable
to stability and Iraqi sovereignty.

Chris Burford