originally posted by dimmer on Thursday August 19, @05:49AM from the Waste-of-Flesh dept. As you might know from reading my articles, I am a huge supporter of the enlightenment human rights: life, liberty, property, pursuit of hapiness etc. But it is possible that a person perform actions which revokes those social rights and he or she deserves a bullet in his or her fucking head. Case in point: Muqtada al-Sadr.

Al-Sadr has always been a thorn in the side of the US and new Iraqi government. For the latest news on him (there's bound to be breaking news soon after this article is finished) click here. During the early days of the US occupation, a competing cleric in Najaf was assasinated. An arrest warrant was issued for Al-Sadr, but he was never arrested. Soon thereafter, Al-Sadr published a newspaper called Al Hawza, which incited violence against the US and US-backed Iraqi government. Coalition Provisional Authority administrator Paul Bremer shut the newspaper down, which inspired Al-Sadr's forces to begin fighting. US Marines were sent into Najaf and advanced far into the city, inflicting heavy casualties among Al-Sadr's army, and taking casualties of their own. At the end of May, 2004 diplomacy won the day; Al-Sadr promised to leave Najaf and play nice. The marines withdrew from their hard-earned ground and Iraqi police went into the city. The fighting did not stop however, and has been going on ever since.

In addition to being butt-ugly, Al-Sadr is descended from a well-known family of Shiite clerics and Ayatollahs. His father was especially loved because he stood up to Saddam Hussein and was assasinated for it. Al-Sadr inherited a large power base just for being born. Then he assasinates the competing moderate Shiite cleric in Najaf at the start of the war - consolidating his power. He then incites violence and spreads propaganda through his newspaper- creating more followers. He forms his own personal army to exercise his power.

Recently, US forces got into the mix again - again fighting in Najaf. They have the Mehdi army surrounded, and Al-Sadr is hiding in the holy Shiite shrine of the Imam Ali Mosque. The Iraqi government sent in diplomats to talk with Al-Sadr, and surprise, he wants to make a deal again. He was offered a sweet deal. All charges against him and his army will be dropped, and he will be allowed to form a political party within the new Iraqi government, as long as he disbands his army and gives up his weapons. This zealous megalomaniac and murderer would get off scot-free and still retain power - after he already proved that he cannot be trusted. Every single time he feels the noose begin to tighten, he wants to make a deal. When he's out of hot water, he's back to rabble-rousing. I don't know how many people have already died because of him, but even one is too many.

Time to save everyone the trouble of dealing with this power hungry prick and put a bullet through his head. I really hope he blows this deal off so that he can be offed.