Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Berke — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:20:46 GMT

And this is a surprise?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Terry, IA — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:23:39 GMT

A joint effort between Muqtada al-Sadr and the Iraqi gov't could do wonders to rebuild infrastucure and secure a more stable peace. Why isn't anyone trying to broker such a deal. It would be in the best interest of all Iraqis....and the world. Perhaps gov't is more corrupt than most believe and we are supporting the wrong people.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Buzz Reeves — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:26:22 GMT

$30 Billion in reserves and we are picking up the tab for G.W.'s war? The poor people in Iraq will never see any of that money, no wonder they take the hand outs from the terrorist, they have no other choice. Win their hearts and minds by helping them, not bombing them.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

David, Portland, MN — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:27:47 GMT

How and why do you expect the U.S. Administration to care about them when they do not care about us?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Krista Ramon — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:28:11 GMT

Where does al-Sadr get his finaces? Where does his militia get the finances? How are they getting these necessary items into Iraq? Iraqi government need to get their heads out of the sand. One cannot ignore its people. Whatever politician cannot account for their individual wealth, fire them. Prove to the people of Iraq, you are not corrupt. Geez, someone please give the politicians some books to read on government and a copy of any constitution, from any country, to read as example. I do not know who is assisting the Iraqi government with "being" a government, but you need to fire that person and get someone else in there to assist them. And please, leave religion out of it. This is "all" human life we are speaking about. Pass laws that make sense, as say, militias are outlawed and banned.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

W Byford Harriman, TN — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:34:04 GMT

"The US and Iraq should be very concerned"---Younes.
Of course they ought to be concerned...concerned about the welfare of Um Wissam and so many like her. Like the innocent victims of conflict over the years and ages, Um Wissam finds aid with those that hold her welfare as a trust.
And why, pray tell, is it "perplexing" that militias are "using aid as a tool"? With the central authority in Iraq consisting, it seems, of bandits worse than Saddam, to whom will the ordinary people turn? al-Sadr's milita is, I think, doing necessary and courageous work. Solidarity in the face of adversity...who can quarrel with that?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

steve — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:36:29 GMT

Didn't Hitler do this same kind of thing?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Billy Bob, Chicago — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:39:47 GMT

Make no doubt about it - Al-Sadr is nothing more than an Iranian thug.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

H Rossignol, Seattle, Wash — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:43:26 GMT

I think the part that is missing from this report is that anyone who tries to deliver aid to a JAM controlled area that doesn't belong to JAM gets shot at.

Roll a tank right thru downtown Sadr City and a couple of clowns will take a few potshots.

Roll a truckload of Frozen Chickens down the same route and all hell will break loose.

It's a time honored tradition of despots everywhere...keep everyone dependent on you for everything so they have no choice but to support you.

Saddam was good at...drain the Marshes of the Marsh Arabs so they can't produce their own food..what are the Marsh Arabs going to do? Start chanting "Yes Yes to Saddam".

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Matthew Barber, Atlanta, GA — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:57:14 GMT

We really should do our best to convince al-Sadr that we really did have the best of intentions, and show our appreciation for his efforts in trying to help the Iraqi people. If the goal truly is to have the Iraqi people be self-sufficient and so on, we should work with him any way we can...just because he doesn't like us doesn't mean he's automatically the enemy of America or the enemy of freedom. Just as long as he's aware that Iran coming in is a bigger threat than us hanging around, and that we really need Iraq to protect its borders to prevent more outside insurgents from sneaking in to cause problems.

I think the Democrats are just stupid in thinking we can walk away from that mess without it coming back to bite us tenfold, though they do suprisingly have a point...With the Iraqi budget surplus, why not give some to al-Sadr since he obviously has the organizational abilities and he doesn't seem like the type to put up with the kind of crap the government is having to deal with, with corruption and so on.

I hate to say it, but as much of a bastard as Hussein was, maybe the region needs a bastard to keep the insurgents out of the country. Not to mention someone that shows they're tough enough to bloody Iran's nose if they try to start something. Just not one as bad as Hussein, of course.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Allison — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:43:00 GMT

Only someone foolishly naive would ever believe that our attack on Iraq was done "with the best of intentions". Unless we're talking about the best of intentions for controlling Middle East oil, that is.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

joe from austin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:53:08 GMT

This is the natural course that will be taken. Iraqis will decide for themselves how to live and provide for their communities. We can point guns and install exiled Iraqis into government but at the end of the day Iraqis will take care of Iraqis even if it is only within their own sect. They will live as they see fit and it will never be in a fashion that resembles our country. This is reality no matter what the Administration or the media tells us. It will never be another Korea this is a different era and a different people.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Pacheck, Huntington Beach, Ca. — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:17:06 GMT

As it should be. The U.S. will not get involved unless someone gets paid off and a fat-boy gets fatter. With out a doubt our government has put a negative spin on this dispite the fact poor dumb people getting food for their needy bellies.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Chuck Reed, Rawlins, Wyoming — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:40:04 GMT

20-20 hindsight. Bush 1 was right not to and Bush 2 was wrong to go to Bagdad and destabilize the region unnaturally. Time would have replaced SH without the bloodshed and chaos that WE have wrought. Now it is quite possible that the decline in violence attributed to the surge is, in fact, the fruit of Al Sadr's truce and focus on the people's needs. Islam, itself, will give him points for doing good and the people will like it and respond and perhaps the cycle will roll toward an end, of sorts. Not an American style democracy, but a tribally based solution. And we can take the billions wasted and spend them on our own problems.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

chris moran — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:47:51 GMT

Really? This is journalism? Why can't this clown see the situation for what it really is? The towns don't give up the terrorists because they kill the people in the town if they do, and then they offer them, what can be summized as "protection money", similar to the gangs and organized crime in the US. The KKK used to be the biggest aid and political "agency" in many southern towns during the depression. I guess we should all praise the KKK!!

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

chris moran — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:50:34 GMT

If we are "controlling mideast oil", why am I paying more for milk than gas which is 3.50 a gallon. Smart.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Dave, Phoenix, AZ — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:16:10 GMT

I don't often agree with the left, but Levin (D-MI) was right the Iraq government needs to start paying the freight for this war. While we are giving our blood and treasure to build them up they are getting fat reserves built up. While I understand our need to complete the job I do feel we are being duped by the Iraq government, they are laughing all the way to bank. I am republican, but I can't wait until this Bush is out of office sometime gotta break in this nightmare. What a mess this whole situation is for this great charitable nation. The Reed and Pelosi don't help the situation much either, they are useless.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Denis Cabana, Montreal Quebec — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:32:27 GMT

Well! Should come as no surprise that Al Sadr is helping his people. Our side certainly isn't .In fact, we should all realize that we are the bad guys there, and our "Vested interest" i.e. Big oil,and U.S. world domination ,etc is all counts there. We all seem to forget that all the troubles in that part of the world have been caused by US,the U.S.A. and Britain!
Didn't we cause a coup in Iran and stick the people of that country with the likes of the Shaw? And didn't our side destroy Iraq's fledgling democracy after the WW1 ,and install another despot there?
Wasn't it the U.S. that encouraged Sadam Hussein to attack Iran, causing them the loss of over a million people in that ten year war,and didn't we provide Sadam Hussein with the technical know how to make chemical weapons to kill more iranians,and Kurds?
I just love it when I hear that Jerk Bush talk about "The war on terror" If I was an Iranian, or Iraqi, I would have reason to fight the real terrorist, the U.S.A. and the British, who have caused all that misery there!I wonder if anyone ever considered just buying the oil from those people, instead of trying to steal it? I guess the old idea of Manifest Destiny is slow in dying. So where are we now in the order of things? What have we gained? Trillions of dollars in the hole, millions of dead Irqis and Iranians, (not counting the dead Palestinians.)At this point, I won't even get into Afghanistan, and our little creations, the Taliban, and Al Quaida. Aren't we a wonderfull people?
Proud to be American? I wouldn't be .

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Toby Hill, Carrollton, Texas — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:33:09 GMT

Oh please! The reason you put a question mark in the title is because you're full of it. They don't have enough food in Sadr City to last past May. The generators are starting to run dry. The Rat lines from Iran are nearly all shut down. The Mahdi once controlled 90% of Basrah, including the ports, but now the Iraqi Troops control 90% of it and according to the AFP the people there are happy about it and that's what is going to happen in Sadr City. You in the MSM need to get a grip with reality and start reporting the truth. There's a reason Sadr City is surrounded by Iraqis in the forward operating positions and US troops in the rears. Nothing is going in, nothing going out and with 2.5 million residents it won't take long before the mission gets accomplished.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

QV — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:33:43 GMT

Why bother giving them aid? Just kill them all and then take their oil. The sectarian violence is great; it saves us bullets.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

A Soldier who arrests militiamen — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:36:31 GMT

Before everyone gets all excited here, let's ask the question 'where does Muqtada and the Mahdi Army get their funding'? I can tell you from experience, a lot of it comes from illegal checkpoints to rob citizens of their belongings or to kidnap them for ransom. The Jaysh al Mahdi are thugs like any other militia in that country, concerned only with the maintenance of their political base.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Josh, Hershey, PA — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:40:40 GMT

America is not going to win this war, not for a hundred years. America is too arrogant for them to go to people's houses and distribute food. They will only air drop them along with the bombs.

Even though I live in America, I think America is going down sooner then many think. This is exactly what happened to Soviets in Afghans. Everyone knows what happened to them.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Brnman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:44:47 GMT

Why do you and the rest of the media refer to Muqtada Al Sadr as 'anti-American? He is pro Iraq. I have never hear him say anything against the American people. If we had an invading army in our country we would be against them also.
According to this kind of definition of Muqtada then George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and the other early American patriots were 'anti-England'.
And we all know from our history that they were not against the British people, just against the colonial policy of King George and his government.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

M Onger — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:50:42 GMT

..time honored tradition of despots everywhere... keep everyone dependent on you for everything so they have no choice but to support you. You mean like the neocons have been doing to us since 9/11 ?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

L.C., St. Louis, Missouri — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:53:35 GMT

al-sadar isn't living in downtown Bagdad. He lives in Iran. The same place he gets his money to pass around. The same place he gets his weapons to pass around. How stupid are we to fight in Iraq. If we are going to send are troops to their death, lets do it in Iran where it will put an end to this bull or bring our troops home. This will never end. We are at war with Iran weather the government will admit it or not.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Alan, Dallas, Texas — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:57:18 GMT

The clear winner in this whole fiasco is Iran. Bush has to be Iran's best friend.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

R Lawrence, Santa Fe, NM — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:05:39 GMT

These sand monkeys that are running the Iraq government are totally currupt and have used the US for their personal economic and political gain at the expense of the US tax payer and the life and blood of our solders. Bush, Chaney and company should all be impeached and tried for war crimes and for stealing billions from this country. This war has been a complete joke from day one and was only a means for the Bush agenda to make his rich buddies richer at the expense of the Amreican public.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Mike Miami, FL — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:26:14 GMT

When will the Bush and the other maniacs get it. Democracy will never work when it is forced upon a population. You can't invade a country and expect for everyone to join the bandwagon. It is just amazing what the Bush administration has done, what a fiasco and a what a disasterous policy. Nixon was impeached for what now? We have been lied to, spied on and our welfare endangered. Our military has been strained our young men sacraficed and for what, so Bush and company can reap a windfall of profit from all the privatization of everything done in Iraq. Now the economy is down the toilet, Nixon was an angel by comparison! Axis of evil my ass, evil has many faces just ask the million plus dead Iraqis who evil is?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

jdenishuggard — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:31:20 GMT

hello wehave all been guessing@what % the usa gov.earns out of eacg barrel of oil sold?/no one has this answer/pleaseconfirm/aswell the iranian/persionsliving here[north vancouver-bc]seem to glad they areout of iran-they state the govt stinks/more like genocide

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

David, Houston TX — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:39:28 GMT

Allison - Only someone arogantly confident that they know everything, would be foolishly naive enough to make such a statement. Unless we're talking about the arrogant confidence of an anti-Bush liberal democrat, that is.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Kenb, San Antonio, TX — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:02:38 GMT

That makes it a dangerous thing for American politics to impede and stamp out this faction, we cannot win Iraq through military means, Al Sadr approach is working, I bet that a lot more people and organization will stand up for their home country after we leave. but if we kill this guy, I will come back and bit us.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

M from San Diego — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:11:47 GMT

Control the oil! When this started I was paying $1.23/gal and now it's $3.77. I never have understood that point of view.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Earl — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:13:20 GMT

Loyalty is belly deep.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

John Marchese — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:20:50 GMT

The real problem is that al sadr is in bed with Iran and we know what Irans agenda is-to build up nuclear weapons and use them to take down the western society. We need to insure before we leave that he won't have power, follow Gen Patraeus advice at all costs.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Blair, Mexico, MO — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:21:02 GMT

No wonder greed, gluttony & corruption are pervasive and organization poor, after all wasn't the Iraqi government set to mirror our own.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Karen, Waterford, MI — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:31:41 GMT

I truly wish people would quit saying we went to Iraq to control the oil, if this was the case, we would not have our gas at $3.50 a gallon. Get a clue people.

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Brnman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:59:58 GMT

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Blair, Mexico, MO — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:06:44 GMT

If we withdraw our troops from Iraq.

The "Terrorist" will follow us home. How? Are they going to swim here or use Saudi passports?

It would be catastrlphic. Exposing Iraq to all the danger of invasion from without and convulsions within. Am I missing somthing here, didn't Bush invade Iraq causing convuisions within?

It would cause chaos in the Middle East and Europe and create a threat to our "National Security". Hasn't the "Bush War" already accomplished this?

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

Michelle Mills, chowchilla,ca — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:13:53 GMT

This makes me sick, i say let al-sadr run the iraqi government, if he is the only one helping his own country, while we are trying to find out who we are really fighting over there, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW, and let al-sadr deal with his own country!

Iraq's biggest aid agency? Muqtada al-Sadr & co.

George, San Antonio — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:29:52 GMT

Any sensible person knows that the Shiites, Sunnis, Hamas or Hezbollah are going to take care of their own people because that is what humane people do. The shameless neocons and war profiteers that perpetrated the most fraudulent war in world history could care less about poverty in the US much less Iraq, Gaza or Lebanon. They have created their war against Islam to replace the Cold War and are hoping that they can make it last forever to benefit their bottom lines. Right wing Americans that have supported this illegal war to the detriment of our international image, our military men and the economy have to accept that the Bush cabal they put into power are responsible for this mess. Might is not right and they had no right destroying Iraq to enrich themselves. It is time for the decent Americans and the international legal system to call for the prosecution of the legal and civil action against these war criminals. Garnish all of their assets to pay for damages they have caused and for reparations to the affected Iraqis.