"Shi'ite assails accord with US; Cleric criticizes lack of deadline" by Tina Susman and Caesar Ahmad, Los Angeles Times | August 23, 2008
BAGHDAD - At prayer services across the country, Sadrist preachers said any plan struck with the Americans was a blow to Iraq's sovereignty. In Sadr City, listeners agreed.
"Everyone is talking about how it will really serve the interests of the Americans, not the Iraqis," said Mohammed Fadim, whose grocery store overlooks the wide avenue where worshipers knelt side by side in prayer. "Everyone knows the US administration. Once they occupy a country, if they want to make an agreement to stay, 80 percent of the terms will fulfill their interests."
Fadim and others said their main desire was to restore Iraq's sovereignty, something they said could not happen as long as US forces remained on the ground. "We want to rebuild our army, police, society. We want to help our country," said a man who gave his name as Sheik Jabbar. "They came to us as liberators, and now they are occupiers. This is ridiculous. It's been five years."
I'm with you on that one, Iraqi!
He and others complained that the fighting that engulfed Sadr City and other Shi'ite militia strongholds in March and April had killed mainly civilians and left their neighborhoods in ruins Sadr City's streets are lined with ruined buildings, their roofs and walls shattered by bullets, rockets and mortars. Iraqi army soldiers and military vehicles roam the streets.
That's what is known as surge success, America!
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