Now, the guy undoubtedly deserves to be arrested, and quite possibly shot. However, this article demonstrates a couple of things well.

First, why the Iraqis are shooting Iraqis who are working for the occupation forces. Notice that the Iraqi judge issued the warrant, but that a "Coalition" was clearly in charge. This is the way the Eastern Europeans had "sovereignity" while the Russians really ran things. The same will be true in Iraq after the "turnover". To get an idea see Hungary, Bulgaria, Rumania in the '50s and '60s. Puppet regimes with a phony veneer of independence.

Second, it shows the folly of the US occupation. They will create a martyr, and no matter how much the fact that an Iraqi judge issued the warrant the Americans will be blamed.

With the martyrhood, there will be God knows how many more fanatics.

What Bush was told all along, that it takes the tactics of a Saddam or Tito to hold these countries together, is probably true. And while I have no doubt as to his willingness to use those tactics, a foreign invader probably cannot get away with them.

The Associated Press Monday, April 5, 2004; 11:25 AM

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Iraqi judge has issued a murder arrest warrant for a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada Sadr, for the slaying of another Shiite leader, coalition officials said Monday.

Coalition spokesman Dan Senor announced the warrant but would not say when al-Sadr would be detained. "There'll be no advance warning," he said.

Senor said the arrest warrant had been issued several months ago. He refused to say why Sadr had not been arrested earlier.

Sadr and his supporters were responsible Sunday for some of the worst violence since the ouster of Saddam Hussein. © 2004 The Associated Press