So did Maliki decide to take on Al Sadr now to stop the draw down of troops? Was this planned with

[OregonBlue]

the U.S. or rather did the U.S. plan this? Now that things are bad again, we can't draw down the troops. They need the war to go badly in order to justify keeping them there. Looks like Darth was up to his usual.

[Solly Mack]

1. And, it's another argument for urging Great Britain to "surge" in Basra

as the US has declared it was asking of GB.

[Nitrogenica]

2. Let's get the aircraft carrier ready for the October suprise.

:sarcasm:

[claypigeonb]

Wish I didn't think that was the agenda!

But, unfortunately, that's just exactly what I think is going on: "Shock and awe" in October and martial law, unless the Dems run Hillary.

[TwilightGardener]

3. It's possible that they want Maliki to have a showdown with al Sadr--

they might even get Iraqi forces to take him out, which might keep the Shia from rising up against US forces in retaliation--since Maliki is a Shiite and all. Or, it could be that Maliki is acting on his own, feeling threatened by the power that Sadr's forces have, and wants to challenge it and regain control of the tribe and Basra, before that power becomes too entrenched--and we're just cheering him on. I just don't know, after we recently brokered yet another cease-fire with al Sadr--WTF happened?

[OregonBlue]

4. I don't believe Maliki does anyting on his own. Remember Cheney just took his trip. This was all

choreographed.