Roads to Iraq

The fights

The good news is that the Americans are still around the suburbs of Sadr-City and did not really entered the center of the city yet, al-badeel reported that about 50 American tanks tried to attack from 3 sides but the fighters managed to destroy 5 tanks, three tanks near Jamila Market [which means that the fights are still at same place for 4-5 days], two tanks at the Sadr-City borders with Ur neighborhood.

The fighters managed to force the Americans to withdraw behind the Army Canal [see maps, Ur neighborhood, Army Canal, the green line with streets on both sides]

al-Sadr returns

Newspaper Al-Qabas own sources confirm the return of Muqtada al-Sadr to Najaf three days ago after Iran asked to take a decision about the recent splits between supporters and opposers of “disband and disarmament of Mahdi Army”, especially in Sadr-City.

The interesting part about the report is:

The Sadrists feel the growing political isolation and the need to invest in David Petraeus’ recent comments:

I think the way, the best way to characterize Muqtada al-Sadr is that he is the face and the leadership of a very important and legitimate political movement in Iraq.

Sistani and al-Sadr

According Awan, al-Sistani wants to meet al-Sadr in private to discus the disbanding of Mahdi Army, Sistani don’t want to meet al-Sadr’s representatives or spokesman or anybody on behalf of al-Sadr.

[This is the same scenario from 2004's meeting]