Religious "Militias"

I've kept up with the news this weekend about the uprisings and deaths in Iraq. I haven't decided what to say about them - or even if there is anything to say that I haven't already. But something I heard in the reports and read in the articles struck me.

Why should any religion - or any sect of any religion, which claim to be about peace and love, need a militia?

There just shouldn't be any way of putting those two words together and have them mean anything. They should repel each other in thought and word like two magnets facing North to North. They should be the epitome of an oxymoron. And yet we read things like this:

"Within hours of a call by [Moktada al-Sadr, a 31-year-old firebrand Shiite cleric] to his followers to "terrorize your enemy," his militiamen, said to number tens of thousands across Iraq, emerged into the streets of Baghdad, Najaf, Kufa and Amara..."

I am not in any way religious; but this is a gross and horrible twisting of words and meanings; a religious "leader" imploring his "militia" to kill...

The world is mad.

WARNING: Totally non-P.C. Commentary Ahead!

Here's my suggestion to BushCo and Mr. Bremmer: Get every US and coalition soldier out of Iraq now. Get all the relief workers and missionaries and other NGO staff out. Seal off all the borders - nothing and nobody gets in or out. Throw away the keys.