Mahdi Army plans show of strength in Baghdad http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=242300

Thousands of Shiite militia loyalists will take to the streets of Baghdad next week in a show of strength aimed at reminding Washington that war will resume if US forces remain beyond the end of the year.Baghdad authorities have approved the rally on condition that no one carries weapons. Organisers in the Sadrist movement - the Mahdi Army is its military wing - have promised it will be peaceful.

"If the Americans don't leave at the end of the year, as they have agreed to do, then they have given us every right to fight them and to kill as many US soldiers as we can," said Abu Zahar, who leads a Mahdi Army unit in Baghdad.He said he and his men had followed the instructions issued by Muqtada al Sadr, the Shiite cleric who heads the Sadrist movement, that they must not fight - yet.

But Abu Zahar said a ceasefire agreement would automatically lapse at the start of 2012 when, according to the terms of a status of forces agreement between the Iraqi government and Washington, all US military personnel should be pulled out of Iraq."We want to remind the Americans that we refuse their occupation, and that there will be consequences," he said. "We are ready to fight the invaders."