Sadr group to pull out of Iraq's ruling Shiite bloc

[bemildred]

Source: AFP

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - The movement of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Saturday it would withdraw from the Shiite bloc that leads the Iraqi government, in a new blow to the faltering political process.

"The Sadr bloc will hold a press conference in Najaf (Saturday) evening where it will anounce its decision to withdraw from the Shiite alliance," spokesman Saleh al-Obeidi told AFP from the movement's headquarters in the Shiite holy city of Najaf.

Sadr MP Gufran Saad said the movement was quitting the alliance because it was no longer being consulted about key decisions.

"There are reasons for our withdrawal from the Shiite alliance. The alliance has been taking decisions single-handedly without reverting to the member blocs," Saad said.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070915/ts_afp/iraqpoliticssadr

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This confirms the story from the 11th.

[rodeodance]

1. umm. I thought they pulled out a few weeks ago.

[ohio2007]

6. guess they snuck back in after dark just to make another break away press conference

in/out
on/off
flip/flop

I recall he told his fighters to stop attacking US troops....
maybe he is going to announce other changes at his press conference to the "truce" he made ;)

[xchrom]

2. i just can't believe how well everything is going in iraq!!

:eyes:

[Yupster]

3. I think this is good news

If a coalition can be put together without them in the government, I think Iraq will be better off.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MasonJar]

5. It should make it harder for the US to steal the Iraqis' oil. I sincerely

hope that we are not allowed to do that. If Bush fails in that, even the big boys will be anti-Bush legacy.

[FVZA_Colonel]

7. And thus we see the possibility of political reconciliation becoming just that much more difficult.

Despite the recent Petraeus report that's just full of "good news," I doubt things will be looking very good in the coming months. Of course, there is the chance that without him there things shall be easier, but I cannot help but doubt that this will only further drive away certain segments of the population from the central government.