Moqtada al-Sadr — militant Shia cleric and leader of the notorious Mahdi Army. The latest beneficiary of Northern Ireland-style peace processing? Or is he the new P O’Neill/Jackie McDonald?

Moqtada al-Sadr — militant Shia cleric and leader of the notorious Mahdi Army. The latest beneficiary of Northern Ireland-style peace processing? Or is he the new P O’Neill/Jackie McDonald?

Moqtada (beardy, chunky fella, long black flowing robes, supporters linked to murderous attacks on Western forces and numerous sectarian killings in Iraq) appears to be following in the footsteps of our local self-styled officers, commanders and brigadiers.

He’s reported to be trying to deal over decommissioning.

In words that could be plucked straight from the mouth of a spokesman who provides political analysis for the UDA in south east Antrim, al-Sadr (right) is said to want to disarm and transform his organisation into a social movement.

Only a matter of time before he takes up golf ...

The news that Sadr and the boys are planning to stand down the Madhi Army, become ‘community activists’ and presumably paint the gable walls in Basra with murals of rising doves and Iraqi footballers follows reports that Whitehall has already struck a secret deal with the terrorist outfit.

US and Iraqi military chiefs have claimed that during the battle for Basra back in March, British forces didn't intervene to help their allies because of an ‘accommodation’ reached between the Madhis and the Brits.

One American officer says: “Everybody just assumed that because this deal was cut nobody was going in.”

Defence Secretary Des Browne strenuously denies this is what happened.

But a telling Whitehall source is quoted in the papers as saying that ‘a dialogue had taken place as part of the reconciliation process to encourage the militia to renounce violence and enter the political process’.

Familiar language or what?

Next up? Possibly a job for Moqtada in the local Assembly. Government funding for conflict transformation projects in Sadr City.

And the emergence of the Continuity Madhi Army ?

The allegation that a deal was done in Basra has certainly not impressed shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.

In a letter to Mr Browne he has said: ‘It would be outrageous if the Government made a deal with an Iranian-supported militia which prevented British Forces from carrying out their responsibilities to the Iraqi people.'

Mr Fox obviously has a short memory about some of the deals that were done — and, most of us suspect, continue to be done — with ‘militias’ on both sides here.

The British government template for peace in Northern Ireland has long amounted to toadying up to the local Madhis as it attempts to reach ‘accommodation’ in a ‘we’ll turn a blind eye and bung you some money’ sort of way.

So, no real surprise that it’s now being exported to Basra.

New Labour peace processing.

Sadder and Sadr ?