On Nov 27, 2006, at 1:51 PM, Marvin Gandall wrote:
>>
>> On Nov 27, 2006, at 10:02 AM, Marvin Gandall wrote:
>>
>>> reactionary beliefs
>>> derived from rural culture
>>
>> Though based in an urban slum?
>>
>> How do you know what Sadr's program is?
>>
>> Doug
> ===================
> I haven't seen any of the material of the movement, except
> indirectly, but I
> think it's a good guess that the model the Sadrists have in mind most
> closely approximates the Islamic Republic of Iran. You're right to
> suggest,
> however, that popular movements which favour economic
> redistribution but are
> politically and culturally illiberal are not strictly a rural
> phenomenon and
> also find significant support among the urban poor and unemployed.
>
> In any case, you don't think the Sadrists - any more than the
> followers of
> Khomeini and Nasrallah - are just a bunch of crazy nihilists with
> no idea
> what they would do with power, do you? And if you don't think that,
> then where
> do you think they would look for inspiration and guidance?
Unlike Yoshie, I'm certainly no expert on Sadrism, though some web research (for what that's worth) suggests it's Khomeini-ish, though independent of Iran. I was responding to Yoshie's claim in a headnote to a forwarded article that the Sadrists do have a political program, but it wasn't discussed in the appended article. The "populist" component - in the economic sense - of the Iranian regime is Ahmadinejad's contribution, not the long-reigning mullahs'.
Here's Juan Cole <http://www.juancole.com/2006/02/muqtada-al-sadr-on- aljazeera-ready-to.html>:
> He [Muqtada al-Sadr] began by explaining to the interviewer what
> was meant by the "Sadr Movement," which he said is not a political
> party. He described it as simply consisting of anyone who strictly
> follows [yuqallid] the teachings of Ayatollah Muhammad Sadiq al-
> Sadr (d. 1999), Muqtada's father (known as "the second martyr"). He
> said that in a wider sense, anyone who honored the "Speaking
> Hawzah" or religious authority, including those who follow
> Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (d. 1980) ("the first martyr"),
> could be counted as part of the Sadr Movement. They call for the
> Islamization of society and the spread of Islam in the world, so
> that it will become a base for the advent of the Imam Mahdi [the
> Muslim messiah to come at the end of time].
[...]
> Muqtada says that the goal of the Sadr Movement is the creation of
> an Islamic society. "For an 'Islamic government' without an Islamic
> society cannot in any way be considered actually an Islamic
> government." He rejects any separation of religion and state. "I
> say that religion is complete and all-encompassing, extending to
> politics." Since religion issues from God, who is perfect and
> complete, religion itself must be complete, and therefore must
> encompass all aspects of life. Religion is a part of politics, but
> politics must not dictate religion.
[...]
> Asked about the trial of Saddam, Muqtada says that his greatest
> fear is that the trial will be conducted in such a way that he will
> be found innocent. He says that whoever was killed in Iraq was
> killed by Saddam, directly or indirectly. He killed Muhammad Baqir
> al-Sadr with his own hands, but killed Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr
> through others. He deserves death.
Doug