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Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr announced Aug. 28 that he has indefinitely suspended his 60,000-strong Mehdi Army militia, and that any member who does not comply with this directive will be banned from his organization. He went on to say that the Mehdi Army will complete its transformation into a religious and cultural organization under the new name Al-Mumahidun.
Generally speaking, al-Sadr’s actions are a good indicator of Iran’s motives in its ongoing negotiations with the United States over Iraq. Ever since al-Sadr left Iraq to live in Iran in March 2007, the Iranian ayatollahs have more or less written his script. Thus, al-Sadr calling on his members to wage war against the infidels indicates that the Iranians want to pressure Washington. Conversely, al-Sadr talking about cease-fires and laying down weapons once and for all indicates that the Iranians want to make a goodwill gesture to the Americans to further talks.
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