JAMming With The Eye-Rack Army
How cute. They think they are going to pacify Sadr City with this army:
BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi soldiers broke into chants to commemorate the 86th anniversary of the creation of their army."Muhammad, Haider, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn!" shouted a group of dancing soldiers, bellowing the names of the prophet and other long-dead Islamic icons revered by Shiite Muslims.
A second later, the name of a living Shiite figure came out of the din. "Moqtada! Moqtada!" one soldier exclaimed, invoking the name of Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric and leader of the Mahdi Army militia that American officials blame for many of the worst acts of violence in Baghdad.
Standing quietly in the crowd were four U.S. Army officers, there to represent the team of American soldiers advising the Iraqis. "Sounds like the Mahdi militia is in the tent," said their interpreter, Mohammed Noshi.
JAM of course meaning Jaish al-Mahdi, or Mahdi Army.