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| Iraq |
| US in Disarmament Discussions with Elements of Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army in Iraq |
| 2007-03-14 |
| (via Pajamas Media) The U.S. is in serious discussions with commanders of the Mahdi Army to lay down their arms, an intelligence officer directly involved in Iraq operations told Pajamas Media Tuesday. The American intelligence official spoke under the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the issue. The Mahdi Army, a predominantly Shia Muslim force led by Moqter al-Sadr, has terrorized Sunnis into fleeing certain Baghdad neighborhoods and has been linked to Iran. Al-Sadr has disappeared from the Iraqi capital and is widely believed to have holed up in Iran. Al-Sadr’s family and senior officers are believed, by elements of American intelligence in Iraq, to have left with him. With al-Sadr’s paymasters gone many mid-level commanders are unpaid. And so are the fighters under them. (In the Mahdi Army, commanders are responsible for the financial well-being of the men under their command.) Some have resorted to extortion, robbery and violent crimes. They are desperate for money. And they are also being hunted by U.S. and Iraqi soldiers throughout Iraq. This has created a unique opportunity for American and allied troops, intelligence sources say. Through intermediaries — known in spook-speak as “assets” — a handful of Mahdi Army leaders have approached allied forces and begun negotiating. The source did not say whether immunity from criminal liability or the promise of payments were under discussion. If these negotiations bear fruit, the Mahdi Army could be well on its way to being dismantled, commander by commander, fighter by fighter. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #3 On the plus side, apparently SOCOM watched the Iranians sloppily set up deals with little OPSEC for a long time prior to being given the okay to break up their little parties. So we have a pretty good idea who is in their pocket and can migrate them away from positions of power, by talking to their more nationalistic bosses. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-03-14 21:38 |
| #2 If the U.S. can continue in it's effort with dismantling the Mahdi army, it will be one less thorn for coalition forces to contend with in Iraq. I am sure on the other hand, that the Iranian government will be disappointed at being denied a chance of creating a greater Iran with the Shiites running the show bordering its country. Unfortunately, for the coalition and allied Iraqi forces they still have other Shia's allied with Iran, Al Qaeda and their allies, and the former Baathists. One step forward in any case, is a step in the right direction for stability. The locals need to continue the efforts and put aside their difference despite religious and tribal differences if they really want to avoid bloodbath that is still pervasive. A country will cease to exist if it citizens wipe themselves out. |
| Posted by: Delphi2005 2007-03-14 21:27 |
| #1 FOX > Mahdi Army is steadily dis-integrating since Sadr left for Iran + over 700 fighters have been killed or captured, mostly killed, by IGA-US mil ops. More and more Mahdi Army and other aligned Radical Islamists fighters/members are giving up their weapons and turning informant. ANOTHER VICTORY = FAILURE FOR DUBYA. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-03-14 20:52 |