al-Sadr pulls out of Iraqi government

[Leigh Meyers <the.buffalo.in.the.midst@xxxxxxxxx>]

Shiite cleric vows to pursue U.S. troop exit

MUSSAB AL-KHAIRALLA AND PAUL TAIT

Reuters

BAGHDAD â The political movement of fiery Iraqi Shiite cleric and
militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr said on Sunday it would withdraw from
the government on Monday to press its demand for a timetable for a
U.S. troop withdrawal.

Officials from the movement, which holds six ministries and a quarter
of the parliamentary seats in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shi'ite
Alliance, said the formal announcement would be made on Monday at a
news conference.
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There was no immediate comment from the government.

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