Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr says he will not enter any kind of political process that would allow US forces to remain in Iraq. Al-Sadr lashed out at US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday, saying that he will always remain his enemy because he is 'the occupier of Iraq'. "You have always been my enemy, and you will always be my enemy till the last drop of my blood," Sadr said in a statement. Lot of people feel that way about Bill Gates, oh wait....
The top cleric's remarks was a reaction to comments made by Gates in which he said those who are prepared to work peacefully within the political process in Iraq are not the enemies of the United States. "Which political process do you want to involve me in when you are occupying my land," Sadr said. "I heard the statement of the terrorist American defense secretary and I feel compelled to give a decent response to such a terrorist. I have no enemy but you. You are the occupier."
On Friday, Robert Gates said al-Sadr was a significant political player due to his large number of followers in Iraq's Shia community. Gates also called on al-Sadr to take part in the political process.
The cleric also told his Mahdi Army, currently engaged in fierce battles with Iraqi and US forces that he will not accept "any armed men on the streets when they are empty of the occupier." "If the occupier leaves the cities, we should not use our weapons. Don't raise you weapons against Iraqis as long as they don't help the occupier. I also call on the Iraqi government to back its people to rid the land of the occupier," al-Sadr said.