http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59486-2004May27.html

Apparently it was a bit of a turkey shoot and now they are realising they will all be dead if they don't quit now.

Machine guns against a tank - not wise. In one "battle" 50 insurgents - mostly all teenagers unfortuanately were wiped out trying the AK-47 vs a tank trick.

All based on conditions that we do the same. Blah, Blah, Blah...they'll cook something up afterwards and blame it on us to retaliate. It's like the Hatfields and the McCoys.

It's odd at how someone who had this much power and that many followers would just give up this easily.

Uh, he's not giving up -- not at all.

An Excerpt from this AP article: (http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040527/D82R11L00.html) "Al-Sadr said he was making the offer to pull back his militiamen because of "the tragic condition" in Najaf after weeks of fighting and the damage suffered by the Imam Ali mosque.

The young Shiite radical also demanded "broad discussions" within the Shiite community over the future of his militia and that the legal proceedings against him be deferred until then."

LMAO!! This must be the Muslim way -- do the crime first, flee, and attempt negotiations with violence before you ever come to justice. Conditions, conditions, conditions. What a friggin' joke. It's getting nauseating. Reminds me of Saddam and the UN deadlines.

He'll continue to destroy coalition troops and others in the name of "Islam" and get no punishment whatsoever for these and past crimes. One cleric killing another cleric is not right - no matter what religion you follow! WTF? It's time for punishment of Al-Sadr, not more negotiations or deferrment until HE decides if/when he's going to disarm his militia. What a riot this has turned out to be. He's another Saddam in the making.

I have to keep wondering who is in charge over there?? Level some of the religious places, make them see that his bogus conditions are NOT going to work and force his hand. It's like reasoning with a 2-year old. It's practically impossible.

He's pulling out because his army is being destroyed at a very fast pace indeed. He knows the US can grab him at any time and they are only holding back out of respect for the shrines and to avoid a shite backlash.

The shites were initially very much in favor of the US invasion - they have become cynical but remain subdued. Destroy one of those shrines and Geez you could have a civil war on your hands.

If the Shities rise up - then the US is totally screwed - we don't have enough tanks to fight 20 million people. Sadr is just playing on this, but I think he realises the game is up.

The US accepted the truce, but rejected his conditions - he is still pulling out.

He is waiting until June 30, then he can attack the fledgling military of Iraq and attempt to seize power.
Yes I am sure he is worried about his militia but not because he cares if they live or die but because he wants power bad and will do whatever he can to achieve that goal. Another so called religious man who has an agenda to rule with an iron fist.