Our favorite firebrand cleric has made an appearance on Iraqi TV. It was two days ago, 10 minutes just before the “Terrorists Horror Show”.

Interviewer (asking from an obviously agreed upon list of questions):
- So is this a comeback to the political arena?
- Habibi, Don't call it a comeback, I been here for years rockin' the mic, puttin' suckers in fear.
(So I paraphrase a bit. But I swear he did say “don’t call it a comeback”)

There we are, sitting in the living room waiting for the daily Terrorist Show when the little news ticker at the bottom of the screen announces that al-Iraqia is going to show an interview with Moqtada al-Sadr. Yippee and frickin’ hooray. From where I am sitting no news from him is always good news but he has been up and about lately and it seems it is time to make an announcement.

I have to admit that I have rarely heard the man speak. When he shot to prominence after the war he was for a while criticized for his mumbling and incoherency but that soon went away. He was given sage advice on What Makes a Girl Fierce and started “rocking mics, putting suckers in fear”. It also helps that it is often people delivering statements on his behalf to the media.
Well, mumbling is gone but I guess it would have been more difficult to make sound very eloquent. There is something amusingly thug-ish about the growl he uses. And he manages to use “Habibi” even more than I do, which was a bit distracting.

What did he talk about? Ah…well…stuff…you know…dammit, I can’t remember. I was too busy looking at the hideous curtains behind the guy and wondering why the interviewer was sucking up so obviously. But I did snap to attention when the word ‘constitution’ was mentioned. He obviously wasn’t too happy about the fact that it was going to be written under occupation. Fair enough, touché and ouch so stop rubbing it in, when the masters of the universe hand you lemons you make sour democracy lemonade, that’s what I think.

But what was really interesting was his remark after that. He said that it was obvious and clear that the constitution can only be Islamic. That there at the core of Iraqi society there are two mainstays (is that the word? I mean things that won’t be changed) the Koran and the life of the prophet. Hence the constitution has to be Islamic “ and anyone who doesn’t agree with this send him to me and I will have a word with him”.
Not only is he Fierce but a comic as well. A word. And the last time he had a disagreement he took a whole city hostage for weeks.

It is interesting that he decided to make this statement just as the National Assembly finally agreed on how the constitutional committee is going to look like, let’s not forget his ability to rally the masses behind causes he thinks are worthy. It looks like the constitution is going to be where his next battle will be fought.