Preface: Would somebody please get this message translated and made available to Mr. Sadr, please? Thanks, in advance,
Doc
Mr. Sadr,
Greetings from America.
I have seen reports in the US media talking about a recent appearance and statements you have made calling, again, for the removal of my country's military from your country's soil.
Mr Sadr, leader of a powerful Shia political movement and the much-feared Mehdi Army militia, disappeared some four months ago, evidently fearing that he would be targeted by the US. But he stood down his militiamen as the US Army introduced a security plan for Baghdad and avoided an all-out confrontation with the US.
In his sermon yesterday he forcefully demanded an end to the US-led occupation and offered reconciliation to Sunni Arabs.
The Sadrist movement, founded by Muqtada's murdered father, Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, in the 1990s, has always been nationalist but the Mehdi Army is hated by many Sunnis for its death squads and sectarian cleansing.As I and millions of other Americans are demanding the same thing and we thus have much in common.
But why should you listen to me?
Let us take things at face value.
In the American media, if I can believe a shred of it - which is very suspect these days - you are a cleric: a Holy Man.
Some consider you a "radical cleric" and, I suppose, want to have me believe you are a "terrorist". (I hate that word, by the way. I am sick of hearing it. ) I don't really know what to believe so I will proceed as if you are a genuine Holy Man.
Call me Doc. It is my assertion that you should listen to me because I am just an average person. I have a good education and have spent 25 years helping people and families with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Helping people is my life and so it just tears me up to see what is happening in your country.
I don't work for the US government. I am not a politician. I don't even have a dayjob right now: I just got laid-off recently. I deliver pizza to help support myself and my wife, who also works. I am a decent man and I am not a threat to you.
I am saying, at face value, I am credible, and trustworthy and honorable. Far more than many of America's "official" representatives. I ask that you hear what I have to say and give it at least a moment's honest consideration.
I say we live in terrible times.
Your experience is infinitely more terrible than mine but America is in trouble too. And from the same people causing most of the strife in your country right now. This is part of why I am addressing you.
You and I know the American people have been lied to, that our military has been hijacked by the people doing the lying.
We recently had a battle here to get something done to resolve the presence of our troops in your country. The people we elected to represent us knew what we wanted and they voted to continue the occupation. They caved in to those forces that cause the strife in your country. They have been hearing our displeasure over this, for what that's worth.
Grassroots and antiwar Democrats who expected their party’s win last November to lead to the war’s end are enraged. As they see it–and accurately so–a Democratic-controlled Congress has failed to halt or slow Bush’s war in Iraq, even though public opinion polls show that a majority of Americans favor establishing a withdrawal timetable. And, worse, many Democrats have now voted to give the war, with the ongoing escalation, another chance. The Democratic Party leaders stand alienated from their base–while congressional Republicans, though out of step with popular sentiment, are in sync with their core supporters.
But please understand we just got cut out of our own loop - they don't have to listen to us anymore, apparently.
So I am also writing you in part because of this refusal on the part of my government to end the occupation of your country and to listen to what we tell them to do. They are hopeless, so screw them: listen to me.
I want to applaud your reported appeal to peaceful protests:
Yesterday, Mr Sadr condemned fighting between the Mehdi Army and Iraqi security forces, saying that this served "the interests of the occupiers". He said that he preferred peaceful protests and sit-ins.
If this is true and accurate, you have my support and my thanks.
You are correct in all cases here.
I want to expand on some points you make.
1 - The fighting between all of the Iraqi militias and factions and who-ever needs to stop immediately. I won't pretend to have an understanding of how things work there but I am likely not far off in guessing that there are some real bad folks, likely criminally insane, power-hungry sorts known round the world and for many generations. Bur I also very much believe the violence can be largely stopped quickly if people like you say the word.
2 - The violence is GREATLY in the interests of those people in my country who want to keep our troops there
. Their policy is increase the chaos to further justify the occupation. It is in their interests to see the chaos that results from the racial and religious intolerance. You are right to call for unity.3 - The call for Peaceful protests is, of course, the right policy. If for no other reason than the US Military HATES peaceful protests.
You are no doubt familiar with the story of David and Goliath, about how the small boy takes out the menacing giant with a small stone.
You, sir, have the opportunity to do a great thing for yourself, for your people, for Iraq. And I say it is the right thing because it also helps me, my people, our troops. You have this power.
As a Holy Man, it is my expectation that in all possible circumstances you would pursue peaceful solutions instead of violence.
I have no doubt that you understand that not all Americans are bad people: I am certainly not a representative of "The Great Satan". I want to say that it's not very helpful to refer to us as such. I know American troops call your people terrible names.
As a Holy Man it is sort of incumbent upon you to "rise above" the base masses and demonstrate the truth the the US troops have been hijacked and misapplied and while not excusable from war crimes this isn't a war situation. They only have one setting : "On". Removing the desired feedback from the loop will cause it to correspondingly back down in intensity.
I support your calling for renewed unity and inter-faith tolerance as a means to garnering larger and larger protests.
I am asking you to "flex your muscle" as we say here by getting the violence to stop.
You are facing the most powerful war machine in human history and it will blow everything to hell but it cannot win because this is not a war. You know this and I know this, but they cannot hear this. They, to some extent, can't understand it. The correct response to that level of destructive force is peaceful non-action.
I don't know if you actually order this stuff like some sort of "Godfather" or, if as I suspect is the case, know people who have sway over the people who can get people to stop, but focus your energies on this.
People will continue to die and that is heartbreaking because it is so absolutely needless. Therefore efforts should be focused on enlisting the support of as many people you know to send the message to stop.
Please: Get people to call off the car bombs. Stop the kidnapping, the torture, the killing. Make it stop.
Make the streets safe for massive, sustained peaceful protests.
The massive protest action would help everybody see there is not a war situation, but an occupation going on.
Since it is not a real war it means there is no actual "winner" or "loser" our leaders don't have to play childish games of trying to look good. Those who create peace out of this debacle will look good.
I have often been told that it is an honor to be invited to an Iraqi's home for coffee. I have always thought it would be good to experience.
It is my hope that the ugliness can be stopped and the wrongs can be amended and that real Americans and real Iraqis can grow a new healthy relationship.
Please consider what I have said.
Help make it stop.
Thank you.
Doc
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