The New Muqtada al-Sadr Seeks Moderate Image

Of course, Sadr realizes that his political future in Iraq depends on him presenting himself as an alternative political choice. He has correctly read the Iraqi political scene and realized that political success cannot be achieved without reaching an agreement with the Kurds and the Sunnis, but before that, an internal Shiite consensus is required.

The new Sadr is different. He once said that his political moves, especially when he visited Erbil and allied with the Kurds and the Iraqi List, may have cost him support because of the sectarian polarization that has engulfed Iraq. But that stance is likely to have increased his support. For the first time, we see the Iraqi civil and democratic current being sympathetic to Sadr and his discourse. For the first time, he is a stabilizing factor in Iraq.

Sadr can still mobilize hundreds of thousands of supporters any time. He did that when he wanted the budget approved. But it seems that he has decided to settle political disputes by using the street less and political dialogue and consensus more. Even though his recent positions have cost him his movement’s radical elite, he has more than made up for it by earning the support of the Sunni and Shiite middle-class and liberal forces.

Mustafa al-Kadhimi is an Iraqi writer specializing in defense of democracy. He has extensive experience in documenting testimony and archiving documentaries associated with repressive practices. He has written many books, including Humanitarian Concerns, which was selected in 2000 by the European Union as the best book written by a refugee.