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Editorial Commentary
Scott Sullivan:
Sadr on the world stage
Muqtada al-Sadr must go on the offensive against the Iranian-US Joint Nazi occupation of Iraq. With apparent US and Israeli blessing, Iran intends to liberate all of Iraqi Kurdistan while sidelining the liberation of Palestine, perhaps for good. A decision of this importance on Palestine versus Kurdistan could affect the balance of power for many states in the Middle East for generations to come. Sadr’s unorthodox recommendation could be for the US to bring in two outside states -- Russia and China -- that would be told to promote independence for Palestine at the expense of independence for Kurdistan.
The US needs a radical thrust to the China-Russia report. Here is one thought, if we wanted to punish Nazi Iran, China could recommend placing Kurdish statehood in Iraq on hold for fifty years while moving ahead on full and immediate statehood for Palestine.A second important issue in the Middle East concens potential US involvement in the assassination of Sadr’s most trusted aide in the Holy city of Najaf. If Muqtada al-Sadr lacks evidence of US involvement in the assassination of his senior aide in Najaf, Sadr should apologize to the US and withdraw the allegations.
The truth is that Iran is probably responsible for this assassination. If Iran is responsible, Sadr would err by appearing to protect Iran by falsely accusing the US. The best policy for Sadr on this issue is to expose the full scope of Iranian-US-Kurdish military collaboration in Iraq, beginning in 2004. Sadr should begin by documenting all the meetings between the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and high ranking Kurdish military officials, who presumably informed General Petraeus of these meetings and obtained his permission to cooperate with the IRGC.
The IRGC requested high level meetings with the Kurds in 2004 because it wanted a signed agreement with president Barzani that the IRGC could use Kurdish territory as a staging area for IRGC terrorism against the Sunnis, the pro-Sadr Shia, and US forces. Barzani subsequently agreed to open Kurdish territory to the IRGC. Inder this IRGC-Barazani agreement, the Iraqi Kurds provided Iran’s terrorist and paramilitary forces with easy access via Kurdish territory to western/Arab Iraq, as well as easy Iranian access to southern/Shia Iraq and Basra. In this environment favoring Iranian IRGC personnel – and with the knowledge of Kurdish and presumably US military officials – the IRGC was able to assassinate hundreds of pro-Sadr Shia clergy and hundreds of US military personnel.
Moreover, the IRGC used Kurdish territory to move al-Qaeda terrorists and large quantities of munitions into Mosul and Anbar province. Finally, Iran used Kurdish territory to conduct joint operations and training with al-Qaeda. Iran could not use its own territory for training and supplying al-Qaeda due to Iranian political sensitivities.Again, Muqtada al-Sadr should disclose the full documentation on Iranian-Kurdish-US military cooperation in the Kurdish area beginning in 2004.
Even more to the point, Sadr should present details of the robust US-Iranian military cooperation during the recent fighting in Basra. According to the Israeli website Debka.com, Iranian military and paramilitary forces, not US forces, supplied most of the logistics for Maliki’s offensive against Sadr. If this report is accurate, the true story of US-Iran military cooperation in Iraq has now come into the open.
In short, President Bush may talk a good game of confronting Iran in Iraq. The truth, however, is that the fighting in Basra represented a US and Iranian assault on a weakened Iraq and on Muqtada al-Sadr. For this violation of international law, President Bush owes Sadr an apology.
Finally, Muqtada al-Sadr must address two issues related to the Olympics and one issue related to his proposed 1 million man march, first set in Najaf and then canceled, and then set for Baghdad and, again, canceled.Sadr’s office in Baghdad should take a new approach by suggesting a multi-ethnic march of 250,000 activists that would be formed in Basra, then moved to al Najaf, Baghdad, Kirkuk, Irbil, and Mosul. The future of Iraq will be decided in these six cities. The pupose of Sadr’s million man march is to show that for now and forever Iraq will remain a unified state from Basa to Baghdad, and from Baghdad to Mosul and Kirkuk.
Muqtada al Sadr should take a hard line policy on each of three Olympics issues. First, Sadr should take a hard line on the Olympic Torch display, and call on the world's muslims to join in protecting the Olympic torch. Second, Sadr should call upon theArab states to ignore Germmany's appeal to boycott the opening ceremonies. Third, Sadr should express sympathy with China's plight in having powerful neighbors who wwant to take partrs of China's territory
Finally, Sadr should express great gratitude to the Chinese people who are offering security support to protect the Olympic torch from threats by hooligans.By taking this forward leaning position on China, Sadr will earn the gratitude of China, Russia, and other leftist countries. This is good place for Sadr to begin as he climbs up on the international stage.
Scott Sullivan is a former Washington government employee. Petroleumworld not necessarily share these views.
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Petroleumworld News 04/17/08
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