Iraq cleric moqtada al sadr meets with sheikh mohammed bin. Patrick cockburn, muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq. Image caption moqtada sadr has been studying at a seminary in iran in the hope of becoming an ayatollah. As comebacks go, that of muqtada alsadr, set to come first in iraqs general election, is up there with lazarus. May 11, 2018 a 2006 newsweek cover story even labeled sadr the most dangerous man in iraq. After the iraq invasion, muqtada alsadr likely recognized the unfolding. May 09, 2018 muqtada al sadr, one of iraqs most powerful and controversial clerics has made a dramatic political shift ahead of iraqs elections. A 2006 newsweek cover story even labeled sadr the most dangerous man in iraq. Muqtada al sadr and the fall of iraq by patrick cockburn hardback 272 pages isbn. Muqtada alsadr issues warning to iraqs isis militants. Iraq police crack down on protests as influential cleric withdraws support. Muqtada al sadr and the sunnis mickey kaus of kausfiles saw the mehr report that i linked to yesterday and inquired, by how sadr could be negotiating to form an alliance with sunnis at this point. Security forces took back bridges and squares in baghdad and basra after the prominent shiite cleric, moktada alsadr.
Muqtada alsadr, iraqi shiite cleric, feared to be iranian. Muqtada al sadr, one of iraqs most powerful and controversial clerics has made a dramatic political shift ahead of iraqs elections. Muqtada alsadr, an iraqi shii cleric and politician considered to be one of the most powerful political figures in iraq. Over the past several weeks, the firebrand shiite cleric, who heads iraqs most powerful sociopolitical movement, has been warmly welcomed. The shiite militia gained broader notoriety when it waged fierce battles in najaf against u. Ahead of iraqs elections, muqtada alsadr reinvents himself. Muqtada alsadr and the sunnis mickey kaus of kausfiles saw the mehr report that i linked to yesterday and inquired, by how sadr could be negotiating to form an alliance with sunnis at this point. Security forces took back bridges and squares in baghdad and basra after the prominent shiite cleric, moktada al sadr. Yet muqtada al sadr remains a rather enigmatic figure. Green zone in baghdad, iraq, falls to muqtada alsadr.
Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. These parliamentary elections resulted in victory for the party of muqtada alsadr, a shia cleric hostile to the u. Jaysh almahdi is indeed a mere tool of muqtada alsadrs strategic objectives, one that can be characterized as an islamic activist movement striving to restore order to iraq. Ahead of iraqs elections, muqtada alsadr reinvents. Shia leader has emerged as a shrewd political operator, developing a personality cult and a shia subculture in iraq. In 2004, muqtada alsadr and his mahdi army fought ferociously against the u.
After the american invasion in 2003, muqtada alsadr became the voice of iraqs vast shia underclass. It would be a big service to other nonexperts if you could explain how this is possible. Browse the independent s complete collection of articles and commentary on muqtada alsadr. After the iraq invasion, muqtada al sadr likely recognized the unfolding situation as the ideal opportunity to assume authority, in a lack thereof, in order to pursue his. After the fall of baghdad, 60 minutes introduced this powerful cleric to the american public with his first televised interview. Muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq by patrick cockburn. There used to be a fiction of safety in iraq, but with australian and american troops gone, that fiction has crumbled too, writes. Shiite cleric al sadr visits church hit in 2010 attack, prays with. Antiamerican cleric muqtada alsadrs political coalition has won iraqs parliamentary election, the election commission announced late friday. Talk about what you discover with your partners in the next lesson. May 14, 2018 iraq voted in its first election saturday since defeating the islamic state late last year. After the usled invasion of iraq in 2003 toppled the tyrannical minority rule of. I replied on the fly, but here is a slightly revised version, below.
Muqtada alsadr scales back his militia in iraq arab news. May 19, 2018 antiamerican cleric muqtada al sadr s political coalition has won iraq s parliamentary election, the election commission announced late friday. Badali is also the rapporteur of parliaments integrity committee, in charge of investigating corruption. While most western media accounts portray him as a dangerous fanatic, cockburn instead shows the cleric to be unusually canny and principled. Iraq cleric moqtada al sadr meets with sheikh mohammed bin zayed. This book has been vigorously promoted by both the stop the war coalition and the swp.
After the iraq invasion, muqtada alsadr likely recognized the unfolding situation as the ideal opportunity to assume authority, in a lack thereof, in order to pursue his. Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of muqtada alsadr. On 7 april 2003, iraqi guerrillas in amara, 180 miles southeast of baghdad, threw baath party officials. The numbers have revealed a shock win for firebrand iraqi cleric moqtada al sadr, who has both. The reinvention of muqtada alsadr, iraqs new face of reform. His new book muqtada al sadr and the fall of iraq is crucial to understanding the new political dynamic governing todays iraq in the aftermath of the us invasion of 2003, and the implications for iraq s future of the newly empowered and hitherto repressed majority of the iraq population, the shia. Muqtada alsadr news, the latest muqtada alsadr news by. Like his partners in the iraqi patriotic trio, sistani and abadi, alsadr sees an. May 18, 2018 in 2004, muqtada al sadr and his mahdi army fought ferociously against the u. May 14, 2018 al sadr rose to prominence as a young cleric, not even 30 years old, after the iraq descended into sectarian warfare following the u. Cleric, militia leader and fiercely antiamerican politician, muqtada s combination of nationalism and religious fervour appealed to countless angry and impoverished shias, and as us control of iraq disintegrates, the likelihood increases that he will assume total power in the shia areas of the country.
This book has been vigorously promoted by both the stop the war coalition and. Could muqtada alsadr be the best hope for iraq and the region. Muqtada alsadr, the shia revival, and the struggle. Iraq voted in its first election saturday since defeating the islamic state late last year. Iraq s shiite cleric muqtada al sadr, center, speaks to his followers demonstrating at tahrir square in baghdad, iraq, friday, july 15, 2016. Aug 21, 2017 muqtada alsadr has long been something of an enigma. Muqtada alsadrs men are killing more british troops than any other group in the world today.
He is the leader of the sadrist movement and the leader of saraya al salam, a shia militia that is a reformation of the previous militia he led during the american military presence in iraq, the mahdi army. The account of political shiism in iraq, from the rise of the dawa party through the martyrdoms of muqtada al sadr s famous granduncle and father, makes it impossible to dismiss muqtada as a mere apolitical gangster, grievancefabricating demagogue, or reactionary firebrand cleric. On october 1, protests broke out which took a very different shape than those in the past. How iraq election frontrunner muqtada alsadr tapped widespread frustration duration. Muqtada alsadr scales back his militia in iraq the cleric called for his saraya alsalam to disband in all cities except baghdad, karbala and samarra alsadr is leading discussion on forming the. Iraq election results 2018 see muqtada alsadr and iran. He is the leader of the sadrist movement and the leader of saraya alsalam, a shia militia that is a reformation of the previous militia he led during the american military presence in iraq, the mahdi army. His new book muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq is crucial to understanding the new political dynamic governing todays iraq in the aftermath of the us invasion of 2003, and the implications for iraqs future of the newly empowered and hitherto repressed majority of the. Alsadr rose to prominence as a young cleric, not even 30 years old, after the iraq descended into sectarian warfare following the u. Indeed, alsadr and abadi have already visited the gulf states. In this photo provided by the sadr media office, shiite cleric muqtada al sadr, left, greets shiite leader ammar al hakim on his arrival for their meeting in baghdad, iraq, early tuesday, may 22. Initially known for being a shii leader, he came to adopt a nonsectarian viewpoint. Sadr formed the mahdi army in 2003 after the fall of saddam husseins regime.
Though the united statesled invasion of iraq in march 2003 aimed to rapidly topple. Download pdf angels in sadr city free online new books. Jun 26, 2014 sadr formed the mahdi army in 2003 after the fall of saddam husseins regime. Muqtada al sadr is an iraqi shia cleric, politician and militia leader. Muhammad sadiq alsadr, muqtadas father, set about building a movement in the 1990s which was selfconsciously arab, in contrast to the proiranian policies of the other major parties. Iraqs muqtada alsadr has disappointed many of those who considered the success of his candidate list in the recent national elections to be a. Faber and faber about the author patrick cockburn, middle east correspondent for the independent, has been reporting from iraq since 1978. Fifteen years after the fall of saddam, sadr, now 44 years old, is warily viewed as a potential kingmaker in. Muqtada alsadr iraq news, the latest iraq news by iraqi news. Executive summary and recommendations with steppedup u. Challenges to the post2003 political order in iraq mansour, r.
Muqtada al sadr scales back his militia in iraq the cleric called for his saraya al salam to disband in all cities except baghdad, karbala and samarra al sadr is leading discussion on forming the. Muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq by patrick cockburn hardback 272 pages isbn. The fragmentation of the sadrist movement institute for the study. Muqtada alsadr has risen to become a major figure in iraq over the past five years. Shia leaders appeal to the disenfranchised and the low voter turnout factored into his alliances surprise victory. Jumaa diwan albadali is a sadrist member of parliament who represents the poor baghdad district of sadr city which takes its name from moqtada alsadrs father, mohammad alsadr. Muqtada alsadr makes a detour towards irans man in iraq. Moqtada sadr has been a powerful figure in iraq since the fall of saddam hussein. Prior to the 2018 parliamentary elections, he formed an alliance representing a diverse array of ideologies. The london independents patrick cockburn is simply the most important and wellinformed journalist working in iraq today. Last fall, however, al sadr s political game seemingly began to unravel. Largely unknown prior to the fall of saddam husseins regime and bereft of resources shiites typically must possess to assert their authority, muqtada al sadr at first was dismissed as a marginal rabblerouser, excluded from the political process and. Muqtada al sadr s men are killing more british troops than any other group in the world today.
Muhammad sadiq al sadr, muqtada s father, set about building a movement in the 1990s which was selfconsciously arab, in contrast to the proiranian policies of the other major parties. Iraq elections empower exmilitia leader muqtada alsadr. Corruption is terrorism this is the main slogan of sairoon, the electoral outfit that may very well finish as the single largest party in iraqs recent parliamentary election. He was awarded the 2005 martha gellhorn prize for war reporting and the james cameron memorial award in 2006. Largely unknown prior to the fall of saddam husseins regime and bereft of resources shiites typically must possess to assert their authority, muqtada alsadr at first was dismissed as a marginal rabblerouser, excluded from the political process and. Muqtada alsadr is an iraqi shia cleric, politician and militia leader. Largely unknown prior to the fall of saddam husseins. His new book muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq is crucial to understanding the new political dynamic governing todays iraq in the aftermath of the us invasion of 2003, and the implications for iraqs future of the newly empowered and hitherto repressed majority of the iraq population, the shia. May 02, 2011 how iraq election frontrunner muqtada al sadr tapped widespread frustration duration. Muqtada alsadr latest news, breaking stories and comment. Download pdf angels in sadr city free online new books in. Shiite cleric alsadr visits church hit in 2010 attack, prays with.
Cleric, militia leader and fiercely antiamerican politician, muqtadas combination of nationalism and religious fervour appealed to countless angry and impoverished shias, and as us control of iraq disintegrates, the likelihood increases that he will assume total power in the shia areas of the country. Iraqi shiite cleric moqtada alsadr c speaks during a media conference with iraqi defense minister arfan alhayali l and iraqs interior minister. Apparently he tried to form a common front to resist the occupation, but to no avail. On may 12th, iraqis headed to the polls for the first time since the fall of isis. Ap photohadi mizban sign up for the early bird brief. Muqtada alsadr and the fall of iraq cockburn, patrick on. The book covers the history of the shia in iraq, the rise of the al sadr family and also muqtadas rise in recent years. The victory of muqtada al sadrs broad alliance could be the first sign that things might change for the better in iraq.
Muqtada alsadr challenges iranian influence in iraq. May 18, 2018 the victory of muqtada al sadrs broad alliance could be the first sign that things might change for the better in iraq. Yet muqtada alsadr remains a rather enigmatic figure. Patrick cockburn, middle east correspondent for the independent, has been reporting from iraq since 1978. The sadr movement was, as cockburn makes clear, also a reaction against the historic parties of the shia islamist movement. Mr al sadrs visit comes two weeks after the influential shiite cleric met saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman in jeddah, and is the latest in a series of highlevel meetings between iraq and. Muqtada al sadr is a young, fiercely antiamerican messianic cleric and the head of the mahdi army, an armed militia that has waged an intermittent insurgency against u. The sadrists of basra and the far south of iraq the web site. His new book muqtada al sadr and the fall of iraq is crucial to understanding the new political dynamic governing todays iraq in the aftermath of the us invasion of 2003, and the implications for iraq s future of the newly empowered and hitherto repressed majority of the.
He leads the sadrist movement and the saraya alsalam, a shiite militia force. Another key feature of the sadr movement is its appeal to the shia working class and urban poor. Largely unknown prior to the fall of saddam husseins regime and bereft of resources shiites typically must possess to assert their authority, muqtada alsadr at. With the fall of the green zone, our iraq comes undone. Followers of shiite cleric muqtada al sadr, seen in the poster, take part in a campaign rally in baghdads tahrir square on may 4, 2018. Jaysh al mahdi is indeed a mere tool of muqtada al sadr s strategic objectives, one that can be characterized as an islamic activist movement striving to restore order to iraq.
Mr al sadr s visit comes two weeks after the influential shiite cleric met saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman in jeddah, and is the latest in a series of highlevel meetings between iraq and. Muqtada alsadr, iraqi shiite militia leader, election. He leads the sadrist movement and the saraya al salam, a shiite militia force. Followers of shiite cleric muqtada alsadr, seen in the poster, take part in a campaign rally in baghdads tahrir square on may 4, 2018.