Sadr big loser in Iraq elections

Telegraph:

British military and intelligence officials in Iraq are confident that Mr Sadr's political allies have been all but routed in the elections.

Iraq held local elections last weekend which passed off largely peacefully with results set to be formally declared on Feb 22.

Unofficial accounts of the results in Basra suggest that Sadrist parties will take only one or two of the thirty-five seats in Iraq's second city, where 4,000 British troops are stationed awaiting their final withdrawal later this year.

British officials see the political setback as the latest sign of Mr Sadr's diminished importance in southern Iraq.

Less than two years ago, Mr Sadr and his followers appeared to be the most powerful group in Iraqi politics, threatening the prospects of the country's western-backed government.

But a high-stakes military operation in Basra last year launched by the Iraqi government with British military support dealt a severe blow to Mr Sadr's status and influence. He had backed militant groups attempting to control Basra which were effectively destroyed by government forces under the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.

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The guy is a cowardly blowhard hiding out in Iran making threats he cannot back up. His so called truce after the surge was announced was really a matter of practicality, because he knew his forces would be soundly trounced by the US forces in the surge.

As it turned out his forces were trounced by the Iraqi forces with the help of the US. The Brits came in after the show was over in Basra. The US and Iraqi troops also kicked Sadr's forces out of Sadr City in Baghdad. With that he lost all credibility and most of his political base.