Rival Shi'ites Clash in Iraq-Namese Controlled Province

The British handed control of security Muthanna Province over to the locals over a year ago, the first province to return to Iraq-Namese control. On Monday, Mohammed Ali al-Hassani, governor of Muthanna province, was on the receiving end of a roadside bomb blast. He died as did one of his bodyguards. He is the second governor of a south Iraq-Namese province to be blown up, and it is no coincidence that both were members Shi'ite Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council [SIIC, formerly the SCIRI or Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq]. SIIC is a rival to Moqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army and its political supporters, which appears to have set the bomb off.

SIIC's armed wing is known as the Badr Organization, which causes no end of confusion in the west since its big rival is led by Mr. al Sadr. The late governor was a member of the Badr bunch, which claims to have renounced violence but apparently is still fair game. Hadi al-Ameri, an Iraqi parliamentarian and head of the Badr Organization, said, "The purpose behind these assassinations is to create Shi'ite-Shi'ite strife." Would that he were correct.

As it is, the Sadrists are locked in a life or death struggle with SIIC over which are the biggest Shi'ites on the block. Reuters stated, "A caller to Reuters from the previously unheard of group Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for killing Hassani, accusing him of corruption. The claim could not be verified." Ansar Allah is almost certainly a non-organization that answers indirectly to the Sadrists. Provincial elections are scheduled for next year, and Reuters also reported, "This is part of a settling of scores prior to the elections next year," in the words of a senior Shi'ite who wouldn't give his name.

At the moment, the British are still handling security in Basra province, the last of those they have occupied. Basra generates most of the government's revenue, and whoever controls Basra more or less controls Iraq-Nam. SIIC and the Sadrists are eventually going to have it out there, and until they get the chance, they'll continue to attack one another in other provinces.

Those who argue that any western withdrawal would result in a bloodbath are largely exaggerating. Muthanna hasn't been any worse than Basra lately, but the political powers that be aren't going to play by the Marquis of Queensbury rules, either. Moqtada al-Sadr still wants to be the Iraq-Namese Ayatollah Khomeini, and no one is going to stop him short of killing him. Whether SIIC is prepared to go that far remains to be seen, but it is quite clear that the other side has no compunctions about whacking a rival if the opportunity arises.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

Home