An Army of One; Iraq's Moqtada al-Sadr on his men, his mind-set and when America should go.(Interview)

Byline: Scott Johnson

Variously described as a kingmaker, a radical cleric and a violent militia leader, Moqtada al-Sadr could well be all of them. What's clear is that over the last three years, Sadr has emerged as one of the most potent political forces in Iraq. His support was key in securing Ibrahim al-Jaafari's nomination for prime minister--and then for the ensuing four and a half months of political gridlock that followed. Integrating his Mahdi Army militia members, who have been accused of some of the worst sectarian killings in recent weeks, into the Iraqi police and armed forces will be one of the key challenges of the new government. Last week Sadr responded to a NEWSWEEK interview request, addressing in writing questions about his surprising and troubling rise to power. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Back in 2003, the Americans and even various Iraqi parties described you as a young troublemaker but not a significant political force. Clearly no one would say that now. SADR: At the beginning, I think they didn't have complete information about me, and the clergy in Iraq. Time elapsed; things became clear and resulted in the Sadr trend--a powerful, loyal political and military force. It will have impact locally and internationally. And I hope that it will take Iraq to safety. At the same time, I reach out my hand [to the political parties] to cooperate to make peace in Iraq, to drive away the shadow of the armies of darkness. The occupation is the creator of all problems. I pray to Allah to take away the problems and their creator.

What in your view changed on the Iraqi political scene that led to an increasingly important role for you and your followers? There were three stages: the peaceful resistance, like speeches and demonstrations; the military resistance, which was represented by two uprisings all over Iraq, and the political resistance, which we attained by reaching political posts and demanding a timetable for the departure of U.S troops.

Do you recall that at one point the U.S military and political spokesmen said it was their aim to "kill or capture" you? Your reaction now?

It is still valid, their threats are still on, and my life is cheap as a price for the service of Islam. America is baring its teeth against Shiite mosques and sanctuaries.

It is said that you have made some contacts with Sunni resistance figures in certain circles. Do you still have such relationships with them in the wake of the [attack on the Askariya shrine in Samarra]? There is no Sunni or Shia resistance; there is an Iraqi Islamic resistance. But I address the Sunnis through NEWSWEEK. One, they should specify their stance toward attacks on civilians. After the attack in Samarra, the Sunnis didn't have a clear stance. Two, their stance toward Takfiris [a name for followers of the extremist ideology espoused by Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi] is not clear. Three, they should specify their stance toward the Shia. Are we Muslims or not? We will not be satisfied with anything less than that. Four, they should demand the execution of Saddam Hussein. And five, they should specify their stance toward [returning] families who have been displaced [by sectarian violence].