Fall of Baghdad Anniversary...

Supporters of Shi'a icon and junior cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, marked the 7th year since the fall of Baghdad with demonstrations in Baghdad and Najaf last Friday.

Predominantly Shi'a in number, Baghdad supporters from Kadhimiya marched to the Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiya, drawing Sunnis into the crowd. Many in the "anti-US" rally waved religious banners, pictures of al-Sadr and his late father, an ayatolla, and the Iraqi flag. Many were seen burning and tearing US, UK and Israeli flags.

Muqtada al-Sadr, who spends his days in Iran, had a personal message, “If you stay united, you will defeat the occupier and get them out of our sacred land. If you divide, the occupier and its supporters will stay in our land.”

As far as I know, the Army plans to reduce troops by half in August. From there, the plan is to withdraw all troops by the end of 2011. I'd hint to Muqtada that he needs chill, reign in his Mahdi Army (aka "JAM" for Jaish al-Mahdi), knock off the sectarian violence, cooperate the Coalition peace process, quit funneling Iranian $$$ for more warfare and suicide bombs against Sunnis and the Iraqi government, and...

Get your teeth cleaned!

Prediction: Upon withdrawal of Coalition troops in 2011, al-Sadr will come out of self-imposed exile in Iran, much like the Ayatolla Khomeini from Najaf, Iraq, and take control of the country making it a Shi'a State--identical to Iran.