Iraq’s Shiites have simultaneously been America’s friend in foe in the post-Saddam era. The United States invaded and occupied (or “liberated” in ultra-nationalist American parlance) Iraq on a sectarian formula: to build a relationship with Shiites (and Kurds) at the expense of Sunnis precisely because Shiites are a majority and because both groups were fiercely anti-Saddam having being singled out for persecution by a ruthless tyrant who was an all-around horror for all Iraqis irrespective of sect.

And so it was. Today Iraq has a Shiite dominated government. But while most Shiites were willingly to ride the coattails of American power to rule over Iraq, one group offered nothing by hostilities: Sadr militia.

Headed by a radical fundamentalist clerical Muqtada al-Sadr, previously in exile in Iran and even now spending months at a time there and clearly taking orders, cash and weapons from the Mullahs, his militia has clashed with US troops and remains steadfastly opposed to any long-standing American presence in the country no matter how curbed in its influence or truncated in its troop presence. Sadr no doubt is partly espousing categorically opposition to US military basis at the behest of his Iranian paymasters who would like a freer hand to meddle in the country with the final withdrawal of all US troops, but he is also an Iraqi nationalist and all nationalist are prone to oppose foreign military basis. This fiery brand of Islamic fundamentalism is further offended that such troops are the soles of infidels.

The Sadr militia has taken a hard line on US basis and the Iraqi government, partly beholden to an alliance with Sadr political faction which has numerous MPs, may have to held to that demand. The militia may even resort to violence against US troops to get its demand.

All this was a somber introduction to make, if you’ll permit me, a rather silly point. I saw this photo on the New York Times webpage of the Sadr militia:

And could not but help to laugh and remark: Is this a militia or a f-ing marching band?

Really? Are these the marching troops to restore Iraqi sovereignty?