More on al-Sadr

Moqtada al-Sadr's statement seems to be under reported in the media. AP repeats the "radical cleric" many times, but fails to report what his actual words were. Here's the imporatant part of the communique:

"a call to the Mahdi Army and the security apparatuses to stop fighting [in Diwaniya]." He said, "That is enough struggling and fighting, for it merely ensures the success of the plans of our enemy and your enemy. Our Iraq can no longer bear the shedding of this blood. The blood of an Iraqi is a red line [that must not be crossed.]" He added, "Iraqi Army and Police: Do not get drawn in behind the Occupier. For it is an obvious enemy to you." He said, "The armies of darkness represented by the Occupation forces, and more especially the great evil, America, have begun sowing the seeds of conflict, whether openly or through their agents--who have sold their land and their honor. We behold the turmoil taking place in Diwaniya, which the Occupier planned out to turn brotherhood into struggle and fighting."

original in arabic here:http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=50361
My arabic is not good enough to provide a full translation, but Juan Cole's is.http://www.juancole.com/