IS IRAN FINALLY CHOOSING SIDES?….Hmmm. From Juan Cole, here’s another tidbit of evidence that Iran has decided to abandon Muqtada al-Sadr and throw in completely with the Dawa/ISCI/Maliki government forces:
Sadr spokesman Salah al-Obeidi (al-Ubaydi) in Najaf bitterly attacked Iran, accusing it of seeking to share with the US in influence over Iraq. He pointed to the Iranian’s regime’s failure to condemn the long-term mutual security agreement being crafted by the Bush administration and the al-Maliki government. Al-Obeidi’s angry denunciation suggests that Iran is backing PM Nuri al-Maliki and his current chief ally, the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim against the Sadr Movement of Muqtada al-Sadr.
As always, take this with a big grain of salt. It may mean everything or nothing.
