[Cid_Yama]

Both sides in Iraq's Shiite civil war have accepted a truce in Sadr City. The Sadrists agreed to stop displaying arms in public and to allow the government to arrest specific individuals suspected of attacks, though only if they get a warrant first. The government ended its offensive and gave up on its demand that the Mahdi Army disband. It also apparently agreed that only government forces could stage raids in Sadr City, not the U.S. military. The Iranians were said to have been instrumental in brokering the deal.

So who won? As near as I can tell, opinion ranges from "murky" to "seems like the Maliki government backed down," but really, nobody knows. Welcome to modern warfare.

link

[stu]

I think Sadr is afraid of losing political influence. He keeps on making these promises off all-out war if he is attacked but yet he keeps on backing down.

Would be a different scenario if the US troops were not there.

[mos6507]

I think Sadr is afraid of losing political influence. He keeps on making these promises off all-out war if he is attacked but yet he keeps on backing down.

It's the same tactic with Hezbollah and the Palestinians. Get in a few digs, play the victim, back down to avoid the final smackdown, declare victory, profit!

[Poordogabone]

Sadr is the only potential "unifier" at the moment, closest thing to a viable state and has more leverage with the iraqi population at large than any one living in that fantasy land called the "green zone". And that is exactly why we hear "anti US" like it's part of he's name, every time he is mentioned in the american media.
What I think they are trying to say is anti US oil interest Muqtada al-Sadr.

[Poordogabone]

Sorry double posted

[dissident]

Sadr is an Iraqi nationalist and it is actually the US backed Shia parties that are led by Iranian associates. So for the US Iraq plan to work it will have to take control in Iran. But this plan is DOA.

[Taghayee]

I think Sadr is afraid of losing political influence. He keeps on making these promises off all-out war if he is attacked but yet he keeps on backing down.

It's the same tactic with Hezbollah and the Palestinians. Get in a few digs, play the victim, back down to avoid the final smackdown, declare victory, profit!

The Palestinians of Gaza fight way more honorably than the Polish ghetto Jews did. And Hezbollah never backs down, its Israel that has backed down in 2000, in 2003, and in 2006. Remember? The resolution 1701 could not be passed until Israel gave the green light. And when they got whopped with their Merkavas and F-16s and satellites and what not, they used UN as a face saving option.