Reuters is reporting that US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is on an airbase in Iraq, and that the militia loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has agreed to hand over weapons Monday.
The article also notes that Rumsfeld had been meeting with the leaders of 18 nations on an aircraft carrier.
Rumsfeld arrives in Iraq
Sun 10 October, 2004 06:33
Shi'ite Militia To Disarm Monday
AL-ASAD AIRBASE, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has swept into an airbase in Iraq's western desert to make a first-hand evaluation of operations to quell a raging Iraqi insurgency in his first such visit in five months.
Rumsfeld, in an unannounced trip, landed at al-Asad airbase near Haditha, 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Baghdad, aboard a C-17 transport plane from Bahrain to meet top marine commanders and address about 1,500 marines.
Iraq's plans to hold elections in January have gained traction after a Shi'ite militia agreed to disarm in Baghdad and delegates from rebel-held Falluja said the Sunni Muslim city wanted to vote in the polls.
The progress came in separate sets of talks with the Iraqi interim government and U.S. officials.
The Mehdi Army militia led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr agreed to hand over weapons to Iraqi police from Monday under a deal that could defuse the Baghdad flashpoint of Sadr City.
Do you think Rummy just happened to pop in by coincidence? Anyone know how late Juan Cole stays up?