Al-Sadr's Clever "Retreat"

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Al-Sadr's Clever "Retreat"

By Steve Soto

31/03/08 "Left Coaster" -- -Having made his point that the Mahdi Army could fight the Iraqi security forces to a draw while encouraging a united front among Shiites and Sunnis against the American occupation, Muqtada al-Sadr pivoted today and asked his forces to suspend military operations in Basra and all other provinces in order to preserve Iraqi unity. His commanders are apparently still allowed to self-defend themselves and their forces, and the order comes after al-Sadr's forces drove the government from a TV station in Basra.

Al-Sadr knows that he and his forces cannot win a face-to-face battle with American forces and air power, and that attempting to engage in such a prolonged battle is a recipe for decimation and destruction of Iraqi cities. He's daring al-Maliki to still come after him, and to put an American face on that destruction, since it appears that some of the Iraqi security forces built by General Petraeus are no longer willing to kill fellow Iraqis upon al-Maliki's orders.

Shirin, your observations on this would be welcome

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