He is calling for a a march to protest the American Occupation on April 9, the 5th anniversary of the fall of Baghdad.
While the Iraqi government is saying that it will not block the march, provided that it is peaceful, I have very few illusions.
This will get ugly, and if Americans, whether military or mercenary are involved in the violence, it would be incendiary.
Juan Cole has a fairly detail take on what happened with the fighting. It’s basically the same conclusions as me, but with more detail, and it helps that he can actually speak Arabic.
I find his conclusions fairly basic, though obviously they are too though for Republicans, and other brain damaged people, to understand.
Additionally, it appears that there was a bombing in Basra that target a top Iraqi general.
Talk about screwing up in reverse.
Bush wants Iraq forever to appease his ego, and the victory of Sadr in the recent conflict has given yet another excuse to delay a draw down.
Delightful.
First, we have the revelation that the news cease fire was brokered by Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, who is on a US terrorism watch list for, “alleged involvement in terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear and missile technology.
When the going gets tough, our allies the Hakim family run to Iran for help. Nice.
The reports of NY Times reporter is particularly instructive, “The common observation was this: There was nowhere the Mahdi either did not control or could not strike at will. Maliki and the Hakims lost, and they lost big.
The reason for the qualifier in the title is that elements of the Mahdi Army are claiming that the government is breaking the cease fire. Hopefully, this is simply a temporary artifact of a new cease fire.
Busy past few days.
Basically, even though undoubtedly better equipped, and possibly better trained, the Iraqi Army and Police are getting their asses handed to them, because they are completely unmotivated. Unlike the Hakeem family, the army and police really don’t like fighting for the idea of greater Iranian hegemony in Iraq, which is clearly the goal of the current government.
Sadr is the only major Shia player who isn’t in the Iranian’s pockets, but he’s the one we are targeting air strikes at.
In any case, after some It appears thatfits and starts, negotiations finally got underway, with an Iranian general brokering the cease fire which is not in effect, if only barely (see here, here, and
here)
If you are wondering who won this, just reflect on Sadr’s terms for a truce, release of all Sadrists not convicted of crimes, and amnesty for members of the Mahdi militia.
This is a victory for him, and for Iran.
Yes, I stole the hed from TDS.
First, it appears that the Iraqi security forces are giving Fatah a run for their money as the worst military in the world, see here, here, and here.
Much of this is about the fact that many in the security forces are deserting and joining the Mahdi army. Truth be told, many were already members of the Mahdi army.
As a result, Maliki is extending his so-called ultimatum to disarm, because everyone is laughing so hard at him.
As a result, the US military is being sucked into the fighting.
UK forces are not deploying to Basra, and have made it clear that they will not be doing so.
I guess it’s a bonus for getting rid of the Poodle.
First, we must mention that Tahsin al-Sheikhly, a spokesman for the Iraqi government’s security forces has been kidnapped by elements of the Mahdi Army (See here and here).
It makes one wonder if Maliki’s really the head of the Iraqi government, or a very subtle sketch comedy troupe.
The fighting continues, and we are seeing large protests in Baghdad over this.
It’s increasingly clear that Cheney wanted provincial elections to go forward, and signed off on operations against the Mahdi Army to do this, not because they would prevent elections, but because Maliki wants to take them out to prevent Sadr’s party from making political gains in the elections.
Of course, Maliki is vowing “no retreat” on the operations, but if this ends with a cease fire, he’s done, so it’s not like he has an alternative.
In the mean time, the Maliki forces are not doing well, and it appears that US Armored forces are now actively involved. The Iraqi army is not, as they say, “standing up”.
Finally, on the real reason that we are there, oil, we are seeing oil price spikes on pipeline sabotage.
Because it appears that the Pentagon is claiming that the “new Iraq fighting arises from surge’s success“.
Maybe it’s not Kafka. Maybe it’s the Onion. I’m not sure, but it would be nice if the press called Bush and His Evil Minions™ on this heads I win, tails you lose crap.
Clinton is saying that if elected, she will ask the Justice Department to see if the trials can be moved to US courts, Obama is splitting the difference, saying that they should be tried in “traditional military” or federal courts, and McCain thinks the military kangaroo courts are just fine.
I think that it should be a core value of any candidate, not just the Democratic party candidate, that all efforts should be made to try the defendants in open court under US civilian rules.
Good for Hillary Clinton, and a C- (at best) to Barack Obama on trying to split the difference. This should be a core American value.
F- to the sick, old man.
Casualties are on the rise again, and
the Iraqi presidential council appears to be ready the new debaathification law, with Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi saying, “We cannot regard this law as a step in the national reconciliation process. The spirit of revenge is so clear in many articles of the law.”
Notwithstanding the Israeli disengagement there, I think that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recognizes how inconsequential and how screwed up Gaza is, and so he is snubbing the Egyptian offer of mediating talks with Hamas because he does not want the region.
That makes three governmental entities that have said they don’t want anything to do with it now.
Ignoring Israeli-Palestinian issues, Gaza has nothing going for it as a geographical entity.
Let’s see what you have by way of pluses and minuses with Gaza:
Minuses:
Pluses: