Crisis? When is Iraq not in crisis?
Well the current surge in violence is a little different.
You see the "Iraqi security forces" (read: Badr Brigades belonging to the SIIC, supported to some degree by both the US and Iran) are trying to root out violent criminals (read the Mahdy Army of one Mr Sadr. Which has been on ceasefire since last summer - something which has been attributed with the recent reduction in violence) out of Basra.
This is being handled personally by Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki. His game? Well, I will leave it to another article:
AlterNet[/url]]Maliki's goal, shared by the like-minded allies among the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish communities that dominate his administration, and with at least tacit U.S. approval, is to kill off the opposition and then hold a vote.
That is a good article.
Will it work? no idea. It is [url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af4fcee8-fc2d-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html]risk.... Besides Sadr is probably the more popular of the two. Probably the more principled too. And less sectarian.
ok, so I understand the local politics. One guy wants more power than the other. But what is in it for the US?
1. Mr Maliki is not very popular.
2. This whole thing will cause a lot more violence. Maybe even open war between highly organised militias.
3. Leave a ceasefire that has held by and large in tatters.
4. Cause a surge of violence which may continue well into the US presidential race.
So... why?
