Re: Sadr backs down in Iraq
For those who haven't been keeping track, here's an update on whats happening with regard to Iraq:
The new Democratic Congress has been making noise opposing the President's "Surge" plan to deploy 20,000 new troops to secure Baghdad. Democrats and Republicans in the Senate are currently negotiating a non-binding resolution opposing the plan.
The reason Bush is doing this is that infighting between Shiite elements backed by Iran and Sunni elements backed by Saudi Arabia and Al-Qaeda have been killing each other in Baghdad to the tune of about 100 casualties a day. Formerly mixed neighborhoods are becoming Sunni and Shiite dominated.
A big reason it has got to this point is that Al-Sadr is closely aligned with the Shiite dominated Iraqi Government headed by Prime Minister Ayman Al-Alawi (sp?). In addition to his militia, Sadr has become a kingmaker in Shiite politics. As a result, Alawi has taken no steps to rein him in and in fact has thwarted limited US efforts to fight him.
Of course, US efforts at fighting the Shiites are on the backburner because we have our hands full with the Sunni insurgency. The US toll passed 3,000 a month ago.
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