Who is Muqtada al-Sadr?

Though the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 aimed to rapidly topple authoritarian leader Saddam Hussein via decisive victory, the unintended consequences of this historical event resulted in full-fledged sectarian warfare. Emerging out of this incident, the captivating populist figur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in conflict and terrorism 2012-02, Vol.35 (2), p.135-155
Main Author: Bayless, Leslie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activism
Armed forces
Coalition governments
Coalitions
Communal violence
Family group
Governance
HISTORY
Hussein, Saddam
Ideology
Insurgency
Invasions, Military
Iraq
Islam
Islam and politics
ISLAMIC LAW
JURISPRUDENCE
Military invasions
Militia groups
Militias
Monarchy
Political activism
Political authority
Regime transition
Sadr, Muqtada al
Safety
Sectarianism
Secularization
Security
Shiism
Social aspects
Strategic planning
U.S.A
Values
Violence
War
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Summary:Though the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 aimed to rapidly topple authoritarian leader Saddam Hussein via decisive victory, the unintended consequences of this historical event resulted in full-fledged sectarian warfare. Emerging out of this incident, the captivating populist figure Muqtada al-Sadr moved promptly to capture the spotlight for the Iraqi Shi'a. Muqtada al-Sadr's personal militia ultimately consolidated power under the designation Jaysh al-Mahdi with the sole objective of pushing Coalition Forces out of their cherished homeland. Despite its revolutionary disposition and use of violent tactics in the interim, Jaysh al-Mahdi is indeed a mere tool of Muqtada al-Sadr's strategic objectives, one that can be characterized as an Islamic activist movement striving to restore order to Iraq. After the Iraq invasion, Muqtada al-Sadr likely recognized the unfolding situation as the ideal opportunity to assume authority, in a lack thereof, in order to pursue his family's political goals for the Iraqi Shi'a. Militia members are fighting to win control of Iraq to install a Sadrist strain of governance, which would ensure their safety and protection from other elements of Iraqi society thereafter.
ISSN:1057-610X
1521-0731
DOI:10.1080/1057610X.2012.639063