Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Absolutely, I would add only this…

To throw down the gauntlet before an unbeatable foe in the manufacture of a hero is terrific thinking but to throw down the gauntlet for the same purpose in the holy city of Najaf, that is brilliant.

Sadr, ready to meet death, has, in taking his stand in Najaf, created a no win situation for Allawi and the Americans. Thousands have sworn to protect the Imam Ali shrine. However that shrine has now become somewhat synonymous with Sadr. Thus Allawi in his hunting of Sadr also violates the shrine.

Several of the volunteers referred to Allawi as Saddam Hussein the second, referring to the toppled former president accused of killing thousands of Shias.

"Allawi you coward, you agent of the Americans," the crowd yelled. "Allawi we don't need you."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/01277CBF-0075-4BD2-86D6-F772FFC50E82.htm

Yes, Sadr does want to expose the illusion and strained allegiances of the Iraqi Security forces. He has not only purposefully exposed Allawi and his government as militarily impotent but also as unsuitable leaders by way of their sacrilege.

The more Iraqis martyred in defense of their holy city the worse for the U.S. For the U.S. to defile the holy city is a stupid move, for the U.S. to allow Allawi to challenge Sadr in Najaf is even more ludicrous.

We have Sadr just where he wants us.

It will be extremely difficult to find peace in that poor patchwork quilt of a country. A hideous truth might be that other than the natural flow of evolution only the heavy hand of a dictator can suppress the divergent needs of so contrary a populace.

Someone suggested in jest that we bring back Saddam for his managerial skills and we could take care of the torture part.