As always, when the western media stops reporting from Iraq, I like to check out the always insightful, and much more knowledgeable, Iraqi bloggers.
From Raed today:
The Three Smart Political Steps of the Day:
Uno) AsSadr announced that this uprising is the choice of the Iraqi people, he didn't ask anyone to fight.
I know he is lying, he knows that he is lying...
But that was a smart political thing to do though.
He preferred to leave the opportunity of representing himself as a public leader, but gave more opportunities for other political and religious parties to join the uprising.
Dos) AsSadr started a compassion campaign for the people in Falluja, which had a good response from the majority of Iraqis. This ended the Sunni-Shia tension.
Tres) AsSadr launched his first regional affairs message, he sent an open message to the Kuwaiti people to start putting more pressure on their government, "It is the responsibility of the Kuwaiti people to help us free both our counties from the big devil".
- more at
http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/
..and from Raed's mom:
Clashes didn't stop in Abu Graib, to the west of Baghdad, this afternoon.
The man from Thawra (AsSadr City) came again today bring the latest news with him.
He said that shooting and clashes didn't stop all the night's long,
And that some American soldiers went and hid inside a mosque in the area,
The man said that the sheikh of the mosque didn't let people go inside and kill the Americans... it is against the ethics of Islam he said.
"if they were outside the mosque, I would have killed them myself", the sheikh said.
There is a big blood donation campaign that started in the early morning, in all te regions of Baghdad.
And leaflets handed to people with " no for occupation" on, with pictures of Iraqi prisoners thrown on the ground with sleeves in their hands, with coalition soldiers surrounding them.
It is such a strong image that makes Iraqis feel angry and mad...
No for humiliation... this is what the leaflet says.
Baghdad is sinking in a deep silence,
Yet full of stress.
- more at
http://afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com/