US air strikes return in southern Iraq - Iraq's Sadr calls for million-strong march

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSL03403824

* Sadr calls million-strong demonstration

* U.S. launches helicopter strikes in Hilla clash

* Sadr also calls for peaceful Baghdad sit-in (Updates with Sadr call for march)

By Peter Graff

BAGHDAD, April 3, (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on Thursday for a million-strong demonstration against U.S. "occupation", a potentially destabilising show of force after his followers battled U.S. and government troops.

The demonstration would take place next Wednesday April 9, the fifth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, when the U.S. commander in Iraq is also scheduled to brief Congress in Washington about progress in the war.

U.S. forces called in helicopter strikes during a clash with gunmen on Thursday in the city of Hilla and bombed a house in Basra overnight, stepping up raids after days of relative calm that followed a truce announced by Sadr on Sunday.

"The time has come to express your rejections and raise your voices loud against the unjust occupier and enemy of nations and humanity, and against the horrible massacres committed by the occupier against our honourable people," said a statement released by Sadr's office in the holy city of Najaf.

The statement called on Iraqis of all sects to descend on Najaf, site of annual Shi'ite pilgrimages that frequently attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

[DrDan]

1. is junior still denying that a civil war is being fought?

or has he blatantly chosen sides.

[annabanana]

4. Oh he's chosen sides alright.

Maliki is using the US forces as his own personal militia (since he has very little popular support among Iraqis).

[DrDan]

5. this is just outrageous

congress is such a joke - I have yet to hear from one member as to these airstrikes. Guess they are too busy uncovering more baseball scandals

[sam sarrha]

2. what a joke.. Iraqi muslem Peace March.. peacful sit-in till a Shiite sits next to a Suni. or they

start killing their women cause another man sat too close to her.

we need to just get out.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Did you read the article its not a peace march

Its an anti-occupation march.

Little different.

Don