NBC Iraq Blog: Sources say al-Maliki crossed al-Sadr

[sabra]

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/04/18/155560.aspx#comments

Why Sadr pulled out of the government
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 8:32 AM
By Richard Engel, Middle East bureau chief


This week Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his six ministers out of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government, allegedly because the Iraqi leader refused to set a deadline for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. But officials close to Sadr told me today that's not the real reason.

"Maliki violated an agreement he had with Sadr. He crossed certain red lines by arresting so many of Sadr's men," I was told.

When the Baghdad security plan began a few months ago, backed up the U.S. troop "surge," Sadr's officials claim to have had an understanding with Maliki that the military crackdown would not target his fighters, the Mahdi Army. Many of the Mahdi Army leaders went underground, hid their weapons or left Iraq for neighboring Iran.

Sadr feels Maliki broke the deal. Officials in the Mahdi Army say U.S. and Iraqi forces have arrested 800 members of Sadr's movement in the last several months, including Sheikh Qais Khazali, who is reputed to be one of the movement's top commanders.

...

"I expect Sadr will soon return to the armed fight," I was told.