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The U.S. military command in Baghdad said Feb. 22 that Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s decision to extend his Mehdi Army’s cease-fire is an “important commitment” to security in Iraq, Agence France-Presse reported. Mehdi Army members who abide by the truce will be respected, but those who do not will tarnish the honor of the movement, according to the statement, which refers to al-Sadr by his honorific title, al-Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr. The statement also says U.S. and Iraqi forces will protect Iraqis from violators of the truce and welcome talks with al-Sadr’s followers or any group interested in reconciliation and rebuilding in Iraq.
The latest developments, in which Washington has gone from having only minor contact with the al-Sadrite movement to actually enhancing its stature — especially that of its notorious leader — indicates the level of U.S. progress in stabilizing Iraq, as well as in U.S.-Iranian cooperation. This emerging situation carries significant implications for the United States and the al-Sadrites.
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