Sadr's intent
Sam Daughter of the CSM writes on the behind the scenes intent of Sadr during the ceasefire, theorizing that the goal is to build a smaller, tighter Hezbullah type organization that will last well into the future.
This is interesting because, if true, it would seem to indicate an acceptance of a near term secondary role in the politics of Iraq.
This is interesting because, if true, it would seem to indicate an acceptance of a near term secondary role in the politics of Iraq.
posted by mikevotes at
8:10 AM
2 Comments:
The federal government in Iraq was designed to be weak. This was the neocon dream, so Bremer put this in the Constitution that the Iraqis rubber-stamped. The provinces (states) were designed to be strong, and the real power. So now we wring our hands that the federal government can't get anything done.
There is no good reason for any group in Iraq to make a big stake in the federal government. Sadr's plan of carving out an area of political/military hegemony makes perfect sense given the situation. It's one of the reasons Kurdistan has been so stable. It's also why Hezbollah is so tenacious in Lebanon - it's a political force with a military.
So it's not that politics is secondary, per se, but rather that you use your militia along with your politics on a provincial level, taking advantage of the brilliant "states-rights" mentality that inspired the Iraqi Constitution.
By
Todd Dugdale , at 9:20 AM
I agree with you on the Iraqi government, especially this ISCI dominated Maliki government.
The trick to the provincial plan is that "his provinces" aren't completely his. But I think you may be right because that's where a Hezbullah type total services militia might well prop up his popularity. Using health, justice, and social benefits, he could well grow his prominence within those mixed provinces.
It's still a long term, slow build strategy, but I think you pegged it.
By
mikevotes, at 11:22 AM
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