Sadr keeps trying to play nice (at least with Maliki)

Iraq's Sadr tells fighters to observe truce
By Wisam Mohammed
25 Apr 2008
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr pulled back from confrontation with the government on Friday, asking his followers to continue to observe a shaky ceasefire and not to battle government troops.

Sadr, whose call for calm was read out in a major mosque in Baghdad, said a recent threat of "open war" was directed only at U.S. forces, not the Iraqi government.
[emphasis added]

Al Sadr continues to exhibit restraint with respect to the Iraqi government - he really seems to want to play politics nicely. (Maliki, on the other hand, continues to prefer military and police action against Sadr's followers.)

Sadr has been very consistent in his anti-American position: that's what brought him to prominence back in CPA days. His newspaper published articles critical of the U.S. occupation; Bremer closed the paper & issued a warrant for Sadr's arrest (on murder charges). Sadr's militia fought U.S. forces to a stand-still in Najaf.

He has consistently maintained pro-Iraq policies, and objects strenuously to partitioning the country. He wants to participate in upcoming provincial elections. The Maliki government is terrified of Sadr, and keeps doing whatever it can to prohibit Sadr's participation in the political process and to radicalize his followers.

Stop the madness!