Iraqi emissaries leave Najaf shrine without meeting Sadr

[Barrett808]

NAJAF, Iraq (AFP) - Emissaries from Iraq's national conference left Najaf without meeting with radical Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr after travelling down from Baghdad to coax him to have his militia vacate Shiite Islam's holiest shrine.

A Sadr aide said the cleric was not able to enter the shrine area to meet the delegates because the road was insecure due to "aggression by the Americans."

The delegation led by Sadr relative Hussein al-Sadr was instead received by two of Sadr's deputies who later said that "the encounter was positive."

Al-Sadr said that he was assured by Sadr's aides that the cleric does not reject their initiative.

"We hope there will be better circumstances to meet with him," he said.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040817/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_conference_sadr&cid=1514&ncid=1480

[Daisey Mae]

1. Bush is in a lose lose situation.....

No matter what happens here...Sadr WINS...How stupid "Little George" was to get in this fix....

[Joanne98]

2. How stupid do they think Sadr is?

He knows they want to kill him or at the very least torture and rape him in prison. They treat people in other countries like the brain dead "murkins". It may work here but it ain't going over anywhere else.

[leftchick]

3. The "Delegation" was flown in on US Blackhawk Helicopters!

IT is beyong crimminal how fucking clueless the US is.... :eyes:


<The conference had intended to send a larger team of 60 members from the capital to Najaf, but the mission was plagued by embarrassing holdups. The delegates waited for seven hours for a security escort until the trip was canceled when none emerged.

Instead, an 8-member delegation was ferried aboard two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters to a U.S. base in Najaf.>

[Barrett808]

4. Un-freaking-believable n/t