Iraq's Sadr yet to decide on militia truce -aide

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Reuters

NAJAF, Iraq, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has not decided if he will extend his Mehdi Army militia ceasefire when it expires this month despite a U.S. military belief that he will, Sadr's spokesman said on Tuesday.

Salah al-Ubaidi said recent Iraqi and U.S. security operations had targeted followers of the influential Shi'ite cleric in several cities, complicating a decision that is being seen as a pivotal development in Iraq.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say Sadr's six-month ceasefire order on Aug. 29 helped cut violence across the country. A return to fighting could seriously jeopardize those gains.

The U.S. military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, told Reuters on Monday that U.S. forces had been informed the anti-American cleric would renew the six-month truce.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1243911.htm

[acmavm]

1. Give him another billion. That ought to keep him happy for a

while.