That is funny. I had him figured for our new Saddam. Could still happen. Google "SCIRI US weapons". If I were a cold-blooded Negroponte-esque foreign affairs type, I'd encourage Al-Sadr's anti-American statements, and start secretly funneling him influence, through cut-outs and proxies help him build an internal security force and train them like the SAVAK, surreptitiously raise his profile, raising his power but surrounding him in the process with US agents, force him to make compromises, and ultimately coopt him, the way we've been doing with tin-pot dictators for 60 fucking blood and tear-stained years. It would take a couple of years of very delicate finagling, but it would probably buy at least 25 years of relatively placid dealings between the US and Iraq proper. Be hell to pay for the people of Iraq, though. More hell, that is. But Iraq at this moment is what happens to you if you have something that the Carlyle Group wants...

Also, Juan Cole, who knows a hell of a lot more about the region than just about anyone lays out a convincing argument that Al- Sadr is not in fact in Iran.

Google Juan Cole for an informed comment.