Muqtada al Sadr had a sermon read by another cleric in Sadr City that called for an end to Iraqi-on-Iraqi violence (Associated Press link);
Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for an end to clashes between his militia fighters and Iraqi troops, saying Friday that his threat of an “open war” applied only to U.S.-led foreign forces.
In a sermon read by an aide during Friday prayers in Baghdad’s militia stronghold of Sadr City, the cleric also urged Iraqi soldiers and policemen “not to support the occupiers in combating your brothers.”
Al-Sadr issued a “final warning” to the government Saturday to halt its crackdown against the Mahdi Army or face an “open war until liberation.”
The old “I didn’t mean you guys” ploy. I wonder if the Mahdi Army noticed that he sent the sermon to be read by someone else while he’s stretched out in the Tehran Comfort Inn watching Imam-on-goat porn. We, here in the West, know that every time al Sadr’s army is getting their butts handed to them he calls for a ceasefire. I hope Maliki has the gumption to see it through this time.
