Word: mahdy
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...While we're at it, an additional 21,500 troops also cannot do anything about the other forces undermining Bush's Iraq, including Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, the Sunni insurgency in Anbar, and Syria. We'd need a surge of 500,000 troops to deal with them...
...behest. But there has been no sign of moderation on Sadr's part. Indeed, in November, Sadr ordered the 30 parliamentarians and four ranking government officials of his political bloc to end participation in the government in protest of Maliki's meeting with President Bush. Meanwhile, Sadr's Mahdi Army continues to ethnically cleanse districts in Baghdad. Says Rikabi about Maliki's problems with Sadr: "It's not only the boycott." But for starters, Rikabi said Maliki will move to fill the four cabinet posts left empty by officials loyal to Sadr...
...indeed Maliki has decided to break with Sadr, the move in essence opens the way for U.S. forces to attack the Mahdi Army without political hindrances. In fact, as relations between Maliki and Sadr soured toward the end of 2006, the Prime Minister began to take a harder line with Sadr, at least rhetorically. Last week Maliki himself vowed to confront all armed groups, airing a thinly veiled threat to the Mahdi Army. But Maliki has issued similar statements before without offering any action. It's been difficult to tell whether Maliki lacks the will or simply the ability...
...addition to being deeply frustrating for U.S. commanders, al-Maliki's actions have convinced Iraq's Sunnis that their only hope for survival lies with insurgent and jihadi groups who can take on the Mahdi Army at its own game. This has led to an escalation in sectarian violence, especially in and around Baghdad...
...open defense of the militias. Nor has he been able to wean himself away from his political dependence on al-Sadr. As long as al-Maliki needs al-Sadr's backing to stay in office, he is unlikely to allow U.S. forces-whatever the number-to confront the Mahdi Army. And without such a confrontation, there can be no hope of ending the sectarian...