"Cleric Switches Tactics to Meet Changes in Iraq" from the NY Times reports that Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is taking his case to the streets, doing grassroots activities such as providing services for the beleaguered that the government seems unable to provide - and is distancing himself from the parliament where his faction has held seats. This has empowered him and paralyzed the government when a sizable, influential portion are not there. He is taking a page from Hezbollah - especially Nasrallah, who followed this strategy in Lebanon.

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