Sadrist movement to join coalition

Al-Sharq Al-Awsat has the first confirmation I've seen that Moqtada al-Sadr's party wants to join the Shi'ite alliance announced yesterday.

The confirmation comes in an interview with Asmaa al-Mousawi, a high-ranking member of the party, who said the group received "assurances" from the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, the other coalition member.

"It is expected that some high-ranking positions will be obtained, depending upon [a candidates] competency. In the past, the US occupation prevented [the Sadrist trend from participating in government] but following the withdrawal of US forces, there is nothing to prevent the Sadrist trend from participating in government," al-Mousawi said.

Sadr's movement backed out of the United Iraqi Alliance in 2007 because it felt the coalition was too dominated by other parties (ISCI and Maliki's Dawa party).