Juan Cole

Muqtada’s Fate Reuters is reporting that several members of the Interim Governing Council met Saturday with Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf, seeking a compromise that might end the violence in the south. Naseer Chaderji, a liberal Sunni nationalist, said, “Moqtada has regard in Iraq, mainly through his father. But he cannot be allowed to achieve his […]

What Went Wrong in Washington and the Green Zone Jeffrey Gettleman of the New York Times has two important articles today. Since he was almost killed getting them, I hope someone is paying attention. One forthrightly acknowledges the instigating role of the Israeli assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin on the blow-up in Iraq. The other […]

Fallujah Bloodbath threatens US-Appointed Iraqi Government with Collapse AP reported that the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) issued a demand early on Saturday that the US cease its military action against Fallujah and stop employing “collective punishment.” Not only has what many Iraqis call “the puppet council” taken a stand against Bush administration tactics in […]

Tension Remains High in Sadrist Areas Abdul Karim al-Muhammadawi, legendary leader of the Iraqi Hizbullah, which organized the Shiite Marsh Arabs to fight Saddam, has suspended his membership in the Interim Governing Council (IGC) in order to protest American actions in attacking the Sadrist movement. Al-Muhammadawi met Friday with Muqtada al-Sadr, whom the Americans say […]

Muqtada to Bush: Back off or Lose the Election The Saudi London daily ash-Sharq al-Awsat reports that Muqtada al-Sadr called Friday upon US President George W. Bush to “withdraw his forces from Iraq or face a true revolution.” At the same time, one of al-Sadr’s aids affirmed that US civil administrator Paul Bremer had rejected […]

Fighting Rages in Fallujah, Najaf, Karbala; 6 US Troops Dead, Hundreds of Iraqis The US suffered 6 more combat deaths on Wednesday and Thursday. In a CNN interview retired General Barry MacCaffrey said that the task of the US is to regain control of Baghdad and restore its lines of communication in the South. He […]

The Situation in Najaf A kind friend who was able to get a phone call into Najaf reports as follows: ‘ I called my friend in Najaf today Thursday . . . Private internet doesn´t work. Messages bounce. There are though some institutional connections working, like hospitals and other. He told me there is a […]

Muqtada Calls for an End to Hostilities Back to Iraq has posted a link to the text of a proclamation by Muqtada al-Sadr that calls on his followers to cease military operations and to confine themselves to sit-ins in the Kufa mosque. My translation is as follows: ——————– trans. J. Cole: ‘ In the Name […]

Patel on Muqtada al-Sadr David Patel writes from Iraq concerning the allegation that Muqtada is being “run” by the Iran-based cleric Kadhim al-Haeri: ‘ I have been in Basra since Sep and know both Moqtada’s and al-Haeri’s representatives in town. Although al-Haeri is technically Moqtada’s marja and a picture of him hangs in every al-Sadr […]