As usual McClatchy has the scoop.
BAGHDAD — A cease-fire critical to the improved security situation in Iraq appeared to unravel Monday when a militia loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al Sadr began shutting down neighborhoods in west Baghdad and issuing demands of the central government.
Simultaneously, in the strategic southern port city of Basra, where Sadr's Mahdi militia is in control, the Iraqi government launched a crackdown -- McClatchyDC
Sounds like Sadr is tired of the lip service he has been getting from the Iraqi government and this "crackdown" in Basra is the straw that broke the camels back. Which was a U.S. forced action. They wanted the Brits to do something about security down there, but they were not interested, so Petraeus made the Iraqis do it. I don't know if Sadr is serious, whether he will let slip his dogs of war or not is unclear, but if I slept in the Green Zone I would sleep with my flak jacket and helmet on. I expect there are going to be quite a few more rocket attacks.
I guess we now know why Dave Petraeus just announced he was leaving the current surge troop levels were they are. He probably figured something like this would happen when he told the Iraqis to start busting heads in Basra.
Going to be a hell of a Spring. Break is over, back to work.
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