Moqtada Al Sadr, the hardline Shia cleric, may be the king maker in the next Iraqi government. He presently lives in “self-imposed exile” in Qum, Iran, but in terms of political influence in Iraq – he will be the power behind the throne.
While Ayad Allawi’s Sunni block won the most votes, he did not have enough to form a government.
Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s decision to join forces with Al Sadr’s block gives them a solid Shia governing majority. This makes Sadr the most powerful man in Iraq.
While the Sadr “Madi Army” is reorganizing itself the present direction is politics.
Unfortunately, this is bad news for secularist and women’s rights groups and this is not to mention the U.S. government. As long as the Sadrists remain armed and the Madi Army is on the streets the Sunnis and the Kurds may be in for trouble.
Iraq seems headed for dark times again.
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Surprise, surprise. Who would have ever thought that the anti-American cleric Al Sadr would eventually be the power broker in Iraq!!!
These developments are a result of the ill advised and unnecessary invasion of Iraq by Bush. Not only trillions of dollars wasted on people who hate Amercans but far worse is the loss of approx 4500 fine American service personnel.
From a veteran of over 30 years service, I say when will we ever learn??