Iraq sets deadline for militias

An Iraqi General today said anyone who surrenders will not be punished, but those who do not turn in their weapons will be arrested. The message fell on deaf ears. In the city of Karballah, supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr held a demonstration in the streets. But the US and Iraqi militaries say this week’s incursion are not against the Mehdi Army. To many caught in the fight, it’s not clear who the thugs are. This analyst says Sadr’s fighters aren’t the only problems, and even some elements related to the central government are responsible. The gangs wreak havoc with the civilians caught in the middle who are unsure to support. One expert says it wasn’t so much that Washington fears Sadr, but doesn’t understand him and that the Americans just weren’t ready for a figure like Sadr. Sadr ordered a ceasefire last August after battling with US forces. It’s believed Sadr has 50-60,000 men under his control but this biographer says that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Sadr called for negotiations today but the violence in Iraq could get much worse.