What 24 hours of chaos in Iraq says about who controls the country

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It took just 24 hours for Iraq's most powerful man to showcase his might on the streets of Baghdad on Monday, in what turned out to be one of the capital's most violent episodes in years. 

Muqtada al-Sadr, a fiery cleric who counts both Iran and the United States as his adversaries, withdrew from politics on Monday out of frustration at his opponents' maneuvers against him. The move prompted his loyalists to rampage through the streets and storm the heavily fortified Green Zone, where government buildings and diplomatic missions are located. 

"Essentially, he let his supporters have a free 24 hours to do as they pleased," Sajad Jiyad, a fellow at the Century Foundation in New York, told CNN's Eleni Giokos on Tuesday. After at least 21 people were killed and 250 injured, Al-Sadr called on his followers to pull back.  

"It does send a message to his rivals that he is a key player in the country," said Jiyad. "Also that he has potential to use violence as much as any other side." 

The episode served as a reminder of the fragility of the government in Baghdad, which remained largely neutral in the crisis, as well as the competing players at home and abroad that seek to control the country's politics.