‘but to destroy a political rival’
JAM is not a political party in the sense that we would normally think of. it is a militia, armed and funded by a foreign power, bent upon imposing it’s will upon the country for the benefit of it’s leader, it’s members and it’s patron.
it’s real power lies in it’s ’50,000 armed members’, Iranian support and oil smuggling. when it withdrew from the political process it could do so because it really didn’t matter. political is not a base of it’s power.
the ‘ceasefire’ is simply a means to preserve one of the power bases (the armed followers). they well remember the drubbing they took several years ago.
if the central gov’t destroys sadr’s military power AND takes over the oil revenues sadr may be forced back into the political process to have any say.
the central gov’t seems to have moved with great haste to implement this operation, the americans had very little notice and the brits received none. maliki has had his hand forced OR is seizing an opportunity. he can not relent, especially after showing up in person at basrah to direct operations, unless he wins militarily and/or al-sadr makes some type of really significant concession.
despite breathless msm reporting to the contrary, it does seem that the central gov’t forces (Iraqi Army and Iraqi National Police) are making good progress.
i would love to know what has precipitated this.
