▁The ▁base ▁was ▁peace fully ▁ret aken ▁the ▁next ▁day ▁in ▁a ▁negoti ated ▁settlement ▁with ▁local ▁cl an ▁leaders . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁Alliance ▁contin ually ▁ins isted ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁little ▁support , ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁limited ▁cl ash es ▁with ▁the ▁smaller ▁S CI RI , ▁he ▁was ▁s eld om ▁condem ned ▁by ▁his ▁more ▁senior ▁cler ics . ▁Islam ic ▁courts ▁expanded ▁their ▁influence ▁in ▁areas ▁he ▁controlled . ▁The ▁Im am ▁Ali ▁mos que ▁ended ▁its ▁call ▁for ▁pray ers ▁with ▁a ▁request ▁for ▁divine ▁protection ▁for ▁him , ▁and ▁his ▁follow ers ▁were ▁clearly ▁large ▁in ▁number . ▁Many ▁believed ▁that ▁al - S ist ani ▁did ▁not ▁speak ▁out ▁against ▁al - S adr ▁for ▁fear ▁of ▁turning ▁Sh i ite ▁against ▁Sh i ite . ▁A ▁poll ▁found ▁that , ▁in ▁mid - May ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁ 3 2 % ▁of ▁Ira q is ▁strongly ▁supported ▁al - S adr , ▁and ▁another ▁ 3 6 % ▁somewhat ▁supported ▁him . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁al - S adr ▁attempted ▁a ▁second ▁re bell ion , ▁and ▁his ▁al - M ah di ▁army ▁again ▁inc ited ▁violence , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁S adr ▁city ▁sl um ▁area ▁of ▁Bag hd ad , ▁and ▁in ▁Naj af . ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁respond ed ▁by ▁pushing ▁into ▁the ▁areas ▁of ▁Naj af ▁controlled ▁by ▁al - M ah di , ▁sending ▁the ▁milit ia