Across Iraq, battles erupt with Mahdi Army - Cease Fire Over?

[Wags]

It appears that the fragile cease fire in Iraq is about to crumble or has crumbled.

Christian Science Monitor article - Across Iraq, battles erupt with Mahdi Army - Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army fought US, Iraqi forces in Baghdad and Basra on Tuesday.
Across Iraq, battles erupt with Mahdi Army | csmonitor.com

Excerpt from CSM article

The cease-fire is over; we have been told to fight the Americans," said one Mahdi Army militiaman, who was reached by telephone in Sadr City. This same man, when interviewed in January, had stated that he was abiding by the cease-fire and that he was keeping busy running his cellular phone store.

End of Excerpt

MSNBC article - Dozens killed as Iraq militia clashes spread
Dozens killed in Iraqi clashes - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com

This makes one wonder if the War in Iraq will ever end and if and when our troops will ever come home.

GOD BLESS US ALL

 

[Wags]

With the violence increasing in Iraq over the last 2 days it appears that some of our troops may be leaving Iraq and going to Afganistan thus further putting undue strain on our Armerd Forces.

CBS News article - Two-Front War Strains Putting U.S. at Risk

Two-Front War Strains Putting U.S. At Risk, Military Tells Bush That Troops Sent To Iraq For Surge May Be Needed In Afghanistan - CBS News

Sheryl Crow - God Bless This Mess
YouTube - Sheryl Crow - God Bless This Mess

GOD BLESS US ALL

 

[dumpster56]

Gotta get Bin laden before Bush leaves office, god forbid Obama gets him..

 

[HFWR]

News Update: Obama gets Osama; story at 10...

 

[Wags]

News Update: Obama gets Osama; story at 10...

Bin Laden will probably be like Castro in that he will out live and still be around causing problems long after Old George W leaves office and he will continue to be a thorn in the side of future presidents.

Maybe what we should do is hire the former ex-governor of New York and the GREAT John Wayne Bobbitt to head a expedition/delegation (which of course can be funded by Saddam - Oh I forgot he is no longer with us) to the mountains of Afganistan and Pakistan to see if they can lure Mr. Bin Laden out. The bail would be Spitzer's access to the call girl rings and FREE Bobbitt videos. There is nothing like the sight of a good looking lady and the smell of a bag of pork skins to bring one out of a cave.

This can only happen if Spitzer is granted immunity. Oh I forgot Spitzer was apparrently caught again. NY POST article - AND THERE HE HO'S AGAIN 'WICKED' SPITZER LINKED TO BUSTY BUSTED MADAM'S BIZ

AND THERE HE HO'S AGAIN - New York Post

GOD BLESS US ALL

 

[F-One]

This is one part of the civil war that has been held in check, mostly by Sadr. The groups currently fighting (Iraqi Army - mostly ISCI (former SCIRI) and local Basra police (mostly BADR militia and Iranian trained) are fighting Mahdi militia (Sadr's group). Reason is control of southern province and the oil (money). Note all three groups are Shiite. The real problem (IMO) will be when Sunni's and Kurds join the fray along with Shiites for control of North oil fields. Sunni's for the most part are currently playing "nice" because US is paying them, but sooner or later that won't be enough.

 

[Wags]

This is one part of the civil war that has been held in check, mostly by Sadr. The groups currently fighting (Iraqi Army - mostly ISCI (former SCIRI) and local Basra police (mostly BADR militia and Iranian trained) are fighting Mahdi militia (Sadr's group). Reason is control of southern province and the oil (money). Note all three groups are Shiite. The real problem (IMO) will be when Sunni's and Kurds join the fray along with Shiites for control of North oil fields. Sunni's for the most part are currently playing "nice" because US is paying them, but sooner or later that won't be enough.

Your assessment of the situation is right on the money.

First the Maliki backed government went on the offensive and they gave the militias 3 days to surrender and put down their arms.

The lastest is that the Maliki backed government has now backed off the ultimatum to militias and they now have 10 days to put down their arms and surrender.

The Christian Science Monitor has an interesting article - Iraq's Maliki backs off ultimatum to militants - Top politicians race to avoid all-out war between feuding Shiite factions as US forces launch airstrikes against Mahdi Army targets.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0328/p25s07-woiq.html

I guess the surge was just a quick fix bandage on a bigger wound which will not be healing any time soon.

GOD BLESS US ALL