US Troops Return Karbala To Citizens

In an area which has seen some of the most intensive fighting between coalition forces and the thug cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi militia, residents are now opening their businesses and walking the streets. Militia members have been using the city's mosques as centers of operations for their attacks on Iraqi security and US forces. US forces have shown great restraint by not engaging militia members in a way which would cause damage to holy sites.

I find it ironic that this supposed holy man would allow his followers to conduct combat operations from mosques. It seems like he sees these holy sites as belonging to him, rather than to the Iraqi people. It is clear US forces, acting in a manner befitting their upbringing and training, have more respect for Iraqi holy sites than Muqtada al-Sadr.