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MICHAEL HOLMES: Let's
begin with Iraq.
The Shia militia that the Pentagon once called the
biggest threat to Iraq's security is putting aside
its weapons, at least for now. Hard-line cleric
Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered his Mahdi army to suspend
armed activities. This coming a day after it was
directly involved with deadly clashes with Shia
rivals.
Let's bring in Michael Ware in Baghdad to explain the
significance, or otherwise, of this.
Michael, of course what went on in Karbala was,
frankly, ridiculous -- Shia militias battling Shia
government forces in a Shia town at a Shia festival.
What is the significance of Muqtada al-Sadr saying
this now?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, firstly,
Michael, welcome to the future of a post-American
Iraq. This is a glimpse of what it's going to look
like.
If the British defeat in Basra and the internecine
fighting that we're seeing and the competition down
there isn't enough, Karbala is a glimpse what's going
to happen. A very Lebanese-style breakdown of
militia-versus-militia power blocs fending for power.
Now, what we've seen in the wake of a number of
casualties, 54 killed in this holy city during this
holy festival, is that Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered
his powerful militia to suspend military operations.
Now, to be frank, in the final washout, this honestly
doesn't mean a great deal, certainly according to the
Mahdi militia sources we've been speaking to, both on
the ground, in the mid ranks, and at the leadership
levels.
What it is, it's akin to the U.S. military announcing
it's investigating an incident that involved one of
its troops. When they say "suspend military
operations," that's Muqtada saying, "stop going out
and picking fights without consulting with the
leadership first."
The Mahdi militia still protects large parts of
Baghdad. It still protects other southern
Shia-dominated cities. That's going to continue. And
they do that armed.
Their checkpoints shall remain. Their control shall
not be reduced. This is essentially Muqtada playing
to a domestic audience, making it seem that he
addresses the significance of these terrible civilian
casualties.
But militarily, they're going to stay intact. Have no
fear of that -- Michael.
HOLMES: And Michael, of course this all comes at a
time when Nouri al-Maliki is under great pressure for
his performance, or lack of it, as the Iraqi leader.
And you have a Mahdi militia whose political wing
still is literally part of the government.
It becomes a bit of a joke, doesn't it?
WARE: Well, Michael, the whole government is just a
series of armed militias which, according to U.S.
military intelligence, are backed by Iran. Now,
Iranian officials here on the ground, at the embassy,
deny that, as does the government in Tehran itself.
Nonetheless, the fact remains that the currency of
political power in this country is simply the size of
your militia. And I'm afraid to say, apart from the
two Kurdish power blocs, all of the militias are
opposed to the U.S.; indeed, most of this government
is opposed to the U.S.
So, the fact that Muqtada's militia a part of this
government really just defines this government. It's
a loose coalition of largely anti-American militia.
HOLMES: All right. Michael Ware with some important
context there, live in Baghdad.
Thanks, Michael.