Independent Shia cleric Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr is doing well in the Iraq election
Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The enigmatic Shia cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, is doing well during the early count in the election in Iraq. At the moment, the final result isn’t known but it appears that his showing is higher than many people expected. However, for Modern Tokyo Times, he was highlighted strongly several years ago that he could now appeal to many Iraqi citizens who feel disenfranchised.
Modern Tokyo Times stated two years ago, “The political crisis in Iraq needs addressing according to the Shia holy cleric Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr. This is based on political cronyism, endless terrorism, the weakening of Iraq, corruption, a fragile infrastructure, poverty, and a sense of being directionless. For this reason, al-Sadr is demanding fresh impetus in order to preserve the integrity of Iraq. Therefore, this powerful and enigmatic religious leader seeks to break the stranglehold of endemic corruption, cronyism, and the ongoing political inertia that is holding Iraq back.”
Hence, with many outside nations trying to pull the strings of Iraq to various degrees, for example, America, Iran, and Turkey, then for a more nationalist and independent-minded individual to do so well in the early count does bode well. According to the electoral commission al-Sadr is leading with roughly half the election being counted. Of course, he may not win the final count but irrespective of this it is clear that al-Sadr is a force to be reckoned with.
Several years ago al-Sadr stated, “I am among you to say to you, frankly and bravely, that the government has left its people struggling against death, fear, hunger, unemployment, occupation, a struggling economy, a security crisis, bad services and a big political crisis.”
Reuters reports, “He derives much of his authority from his family. Sadr’s father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was murdered in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father’s cousin, Mohammed Baqir, was killed by Saddam in 1980.”
Modern Tokyo Times uttered two years ago, “The endless suffering in Iraq since outside meddling destabilized this nation to the core and created a vacuum for Sunni Takfiri sectarian groups, is now witnessing a fresh momentum from the Shia holy cleric Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr. Indeed, the maturing al-Sadr is focused on moving with the times because he seeks a new invigorated Iraq based on the natural reality of this nation-state. In other words, the days of sectarianism should be left behind and political reforms should lead the way for a revitalized central state.”
Overall, the people of Iraq are waiting for the final result and how seats are rewarded by the electoral result. Yet, irrespective of the final placing of al-Sadr, it is clear that this dynamic individual appeals to many people who feel disenfranchised and abandoned. Equally, they know that al-Sadr doesn’t want Iraq to be ruled by the collective forces of Ankara, Riyadh, London, Tehran, and Washington. Instead, al-Sadr declares that he wants to tackle the corrupt system and to safeguard the future of an independent Iraq.
Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group
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