Could Al-Sadr Unite Shi'ites and Sunnis Against American Forces

The Washington Times reports that firebrand Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is gaining support among Iraqi youth, raising fears he could eventually unify Shi'ites and Sunnis against American forces.

Followers of al-Sadr have been engaged in two days of violent clashes with the rival Iranian-trained Badr Brigades in the holy city of Najaf:

Fighting between the Mahdi militia and the Badr Brigades -- the military wing of the leading Shi'ite political party, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) -- began after Sheik al-Sadr's followers tried Wednesday to reopen an office in Najaf.

Armed men moved to stop them, setting the office on fire and killing four al-Sadr followers. The Mahdi militia blamed the Badr Brigade and retaliated by attacking SCIRI offices in several southern cities.

According to the Washington Times, the clashes reveal a struggle for influence among the Shi'ites of south and central Iraq, with Sheik al-Sadr emerging as a liberating figure for many angry and alienated youth. But he also is attracting support from Sunni militants not connected with the religiously driven followers of Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab Zarqawi.

Babak Rahimi, a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, said he was taken aback by the dedicated following accumulated by the young cleric over the past two years:

"This is an anti-American resistance movement, and he will eventually exploit this, he will eventually merge with the Sunni insurgents," Mr. Rahimi predicted. "This would prompt a stronger force against American troops in Iraq and he will have a lot more followers," he said.

It's hard to accept the idea that Muqtada al-Sadr could unify Shi'ites and Sunnis against American forces. I think a lot will depend on what Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani has to say. Al-Sistani is still Iraq's most respected spiritual leader even if, as Rahimi believes he is losing support among disaffected young Iraqis.