In Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr Stays in Politics

Iraq's controversial Shia leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, has announced his retirement from politics, but that announcement is disingenuous at best. In fact, his so-called departure is actually part of a longer-term plan to enhance his political power. His plan could work; as the scion of a prominent clan of clerics, he has never drawn his power from a formal government position. But he will not be able to displace Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki anytime soon, nor will he alter the Shia balance of power significantly.