As Iraq ignites, Sadr seeks gains as peacemaker
With the end of the U.S. military's mission in Iraq last month, one of its fiercest longtime opponents is repositioning himself as a national leader. Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who waged a bloody insurgency against Americans here over a period of more than eight years, now presides over one of the country's most organized and […]Sam Dagher and Ali A. Nabhan report for The Wall Street Journal:
With the end of the U.S. military's mission in Iraq last month, one of its fiercest longtime opponents is repositioning himself as a national leader. Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who waged a bloody insurgency against Americans here over a period of more than eight years, now presides over one of the country's most organized and influential political groups—a cause of significant concern for the Americans.
This week, amid a power struggle that has threatened to bring down the Iraqi government, Mr. Sadr has sought to rise above the fray by calling for a referendum on his own plan to prevent renewed sectarian warfare. On Thursday, he joined talks in Iran with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was on a mission to ease Sunni-Shiite tensions in the Middle East.
