Letter to the editor

As usually happens in any internal national conflict, an individual emerges who captures and inspires the loyalty of his followers and goes on to represent the majority of the people involved . Despite the existence of the duly elected and American supported Iraqi government led by prime minister Malaki, the chosen man of the hour appears more and more to be Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Sadr is no friend of ours and his hold over his followers is enormous. Regardless of who we prefer to lead Iraq, in the end it will be the people of Iraq who will call the shots. That's the way it was in Cuba and Vietnam. In both those countries, much to our chagrin and disappointment, radical communist leaders won the support of their citizens and went on to rule the countries. Part of the blame rests with our attempting to insert questionable characters of our choosing into the governments of those regimes. The people regarded those characters as lap dogs of the American government and were summarily distrusted and rejected. Whether we can get a handle on al-Sadr and get him to at least come to reasonable terms, such as power sharing with the Malaki government is something yet to be tried. Barring that possibility, a blood bath is all but inevitable, as if things couldn't get any worse in that sad country. If al Sadr's Shiite Militias continue to storm across Iraq, stoking the fires of civil war, we will be faced with launching a major offensive against him, requiring thousands of additional American troops, or just picking up our marbles and getting out of town and letting the Iraqi's sort each other out as they have been doing for a very long time. I don't believe anyone can predict how the scenario will play out, but chances are the next administration will have the ball in its court and the stakes for everyone will be exceedingly high. Al Sadr is the man to watch and he is rapidly becoming a harbinger of bad news indeed.

George Morin
Auburn, GA