Sadr close to striking a deal

Al Jazeera ^ | April 15, 2004

[Shermy]

A deal between Iraq's rebellious Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and the US-led occupation authorities is said to be imminent.

Abd al-karim al-Anzi, an envoy appointed by Sadr to lead negotiations aimed at averting bloodshed in the holy city of Najaf, said on Wednesday that a deal could be struck in the next 24 hours.

"I expect a solution within the next 24 hours. I met US officials today and the talks were extremely positive," Anzi said.

There was no immediate comment from the occupation authorities, who have threatened to either kill or capture Sadr.

Conditions dropped

A Sadr spokesman in Najaf said earlier in the day the cleric has dropped his conditions for entering into negotiations with the occupation authorities.

"I expect a solution within the next 24 hours. I met US officials today and the talks were extremely positive"

Anzi said Sadr had made proposals to avoid clashes between his militias and occupation forces. But he would not be drawn on details.

"He realizes that an armed confrontation is not in anybody's interest," he said.

In media interviews, Sadr had said he was willing to die in the struggle to end the occupation.

"I am ready to sacrifice myself for the patient, heroically struggling Iraqi people in order to free my country from the misery of the occupation," he said.

But in more conciliatory comments, he added "the doors are open for all well-meaning people who are trying to end this artificially whipped-up crisis."

Sadr's Mehdi Army has launched an uprising across Iraq, which the occupation forces are hard-pressed to suppress.

Iraqi Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi said the United States knew it had to seek a compromise with Sadr, given his strong public support and the sanctity of the city he is in.

[Shermy]

Ping.

[RightWhale]

Here's the deal. Sadr will sit down and shut up.

[Maceman]

What kind of a deal can we possibly make with this guy? How can there be a deal with an Islamic fanatic?

Next we'll be making a deal with Osama.

I just don't get it.

[RobbyS]

And disband his militia/his de facto courts. Private armies are incompatible with centralized government.

[Libertina]

ROTFLOL Wish YOU were running the nightly news. ;)

[Moose4]

Any deal that leaves him inside Iraq and leaves his band of thugs intact is a loss for us. It would buy us time and calm things down, which is good in the short term, but it would also legitimize this punk and let him claim that he backed down the Great Satan. It will ultimately increase his power; it won't solve the problem, it'll just defer it.

Maybe we should do like the Muslims do when they give their word...break it at the first opportunity. Y'know, say we'll give him safe passage to Iran, and the second he walks out of the mosque in Najaf, a sniper on a nearby hill with an M82 puts a .50 caliber through his gullet. If the .50 misses, well, that's what the orbiting four-ship of F-15Es is for...a few JDAMs right on top of his turban should do it.

Hey, it's how TROP(tm) would do it, right?

}:-)4

[Shermy]

As someone else said, the best deal is to get him exiled to Iran. That sends the message what he's really about.

[DannyTN]

I think Bush's endorsement of Israeli West Bank settlements today was a response to the uprising.

[OneTimeLurker]

I guess Kill or Capture was just posturing?

[inquest]

What kind of a deal can we possibly make with this guy?

That's what I'd like to know. And I'm especially wondering what happens when he "determines" somewhere down the line that we've broken the deal, or that the deal is no longer convenient for him. One thing we definitely do not need is an Arafat figure in Iraq.

[eastsider]

Sadr's Mehdi Army has launched an uprising across Iraq, which the occupation forces are hard-pressed to suppress.

I suppose this twisted report is Al Jazeera's way of saving face.

[b4its2late]

Handcuffed, then firing squad I hope.

[Therapist]

His deal should be some lead in the head.

[ambrose]

Perhaps Iran decided to pull the plug...

[ambrose]

Perhaps Iran decided to pull the plug...

[petertare]

A reasonable solution is the total disbanding of all militia elements, the public hanging of all members, and in return the US agrees to hack his body into 500 equal parts intermixed with pig parts, rather than 1000.

[Therapist]

His deal should be some lead in the head.

[Mike Darancette]

I guess Kill or Capture was just posturing?

I believe Americans over Al-Jazeera.

[pfflier]

No deal. He is a murderer and has announced that he is the Iraqi arm of Hammas, ready to kill Americans.

Kill him or capture him, but don't repeat, don't let him walk.