Never underestimate this guy. Never. He's not some fanatical bumpkin. He is shrewd, clever, and extremely dangerous.Soon, he will become even more of a threat to the peace in Iraq:The leader of Iraq's biggest Shiite militia movement has quietly resumed seminary studies toward attaining the title of ayatollah — a goal that could make firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army an even more formidable power broker in Iraq. Mr. Sadr's objectives — described to the Associated Press by close aides — are part of increasingly bitter Shiite-on-Shiite battles for control of Iraq's southern oil fields, the lucrative pilgrim trade to Shiite holy cities and the nation's strategic Persian Gulf outlet. The endgame among Iraq's majority Shiites also means long-term influence over Iraqi political and financial affairs as the Pentagon and its allies look to scale down their military presence in the coming year. Mr. Sadr's backers remain main players in the showdowns across...(Read Full Post)