"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.ICH posts this news from Roads to Iraq:
The situation right now is nothing to do with “Iraqi government” or “Iraqi Army”, it is a Shiite-Shiite war, Mahdi Army with primitive arms and “Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution” [formed by Iran] with an army and supported by the Americans.The latest news from RTI is that the Mahdi Army has "arrested" 17 American soldiers. They have also seized 7 Hummers and blown up a bridge. And the Green Zone is still coming under regular rocket attacks. John McCain must be creaming his pants with joy.
Remember the so called Iraqi government can not start this campaign without taking accord from Iran and the U.S., I told about the there is some kind of agreement between [The U.S. and Iran] few posts before.
Juan Cole notes that the British forces outside Basra remain confined to their base, despite US pleas to Gordon Brown for military involvement:
The US military is concerned that if security collapses in Basra, it could cause the center-north to unravel, as well (this calculation is correct).Don't they know that all you have to do in these situations is parachute in a team of "crack" Aussie SAS troops and magic ponies will start prancing about everywhere?
Cole also provides a link to the Frontline series Bush's War.
