| That's the interesting speculation in a longer article about Iraq's evolving politix. Excerpted, but go read it all anyway: |
Even the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has had to pay attention to popular dissatisfaction with the shakedowns and murders carried out by thugs in his Mahdi Army militia. He has dispersed hit men to try to eliminate some of the more egregious violators in Baghdad neighborhoods. I spoke to one, a hard-faced, middle-aged tough named Abu Ali, who was limping from a gunshot wound to the leg; he told me his men had killed 17 "criminals" in Baghdad's Hurriyah district on Mr. al-Sadr's orders. The Shiite mafiosi are cleaning house.
| Yup. We've had this story here before on the Burg. Real question is how much of this Mookie is controlling. A fair number of the hit squads are operating independently, whacking 'egregious' violators and business competitors alike. |
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