Quote:
Quote by: grandpa  Will there be negotiations? Would the negotiations work?
Grandpa h. |
Yes. I think yes. The Mahdi militia is the biggest symptom of an outstanding problem for Iraq. The existence of militias that don't answer to the central government will continue to threaten the peace even when they aren't engaged in overt action. Having a neighbor with a bazooka pointed at you who won't do what the police say tends to be unsettling even if they aren't doing anything. I thought at first the government could kick butt and people would recognize the weakness of Sadr, but he keeps coming back like a cockroach. It seems like now it has to be a strategy of supress, delay, and outgrow. The government will have to suppress Sadr's overt actions, delay him from getting what he wants, and allow the Iraqi society to outgrow his influence.