The US military in Iraq was yesterday on the brink of striking a deal with the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr after two days of secret negotiations. An Iraqi political party that has been mediating said agreement had been reached on virtually all issues.
But the US was still insisting that Mr Sadr - who led the recent Shia uprising against the US occupation of Iraq, and is holed up in Najaf with thousands of armed followers - stand trial for the murder last year of a moderate Iraqi cleric. "We are trying to solve the problem. The US wants a guarantee that Iraqis will try him. But it is impossible for us to arrest him," a mediator, Jawad al-Maliki, said yesterday, before setting off to Najaf from Baghdad for further talks.
| It's okay, we can do the arresting part. |
Mr Maliki, a spokesman for the moderate Shia Da'awa party, added: "I don't think there is a power on earth that can detain Mr Sadr. The problem isn't him. It's his followers."
| Send a Texas Ranger. One riot, one Ranger. Worked before. |
With an agreement close in Najaf and with refugees trickling back into the besieged town of Falluja, tensions in Iraq appeared to be easing yesterday after the bloodiest month since the fall of Saddam Hussein a year ago. Witnesses said some shops had reopened and Iraqi police were going back to work. The returnees were venturing back a day after the US military said it would not resume offensive operations in Falluja - as long as resistance fighters inside the city gave up their heavy weapons.
"I am confident that the guerrillas will turn in their heavy weapons as long as the Americans provide the guarantees they promised," Fawzi Muthin, a member of Falluja's delegation said. He added: "I just hope we learn from the experience. The Americans have failed in Iraq over the last year. "They have to treat us with respect as humans and deliver on the promises they made."
| You, on the other hand, have to turn over the thugs, jihadis and Ba'athists, or you won't have a country next year. |
US commanders said they had no current plans to storm Mr Sadr's stronghold in Najaf, even though the cleric's forces continue to vex the coalition. Embarrassing pictures were broadcast yesterday on the al-Arabiya TV station showing jubilant fighters belonging to Mr Sadr's Mahdi army driving around in an ambushed American Humvee.
| More reason to squash him like a wormy apple. |
An aide to Mr Sadr, Sayed Hazem al-Araji, confirmed that "top secret" negotiations to end the standoff in Najaf were in progress. He said the cleric had several demands, including that coalition troops be placed under the control of the UN.
| Time for another application of the ClueBat. |
He also wanted a swift trial for Saddam. Sources close to the negotiations said Mr Sadr had agreed to the coalition's demand that his militia army should be turned into a political organisation. He had also promised to respect the authority of the new Iraqi government, due to take power on June 30.
"We want guarantees that the voice of Mr Sadr will not be marginalised," Mr Araji said. He maintained that the cleric was innocent of all charges against him, and added: "We are sceptical he can receive a fair trial. At the moment Iraqi law is subject to American law. There isn't an independent judiciary."
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