Falling Down

You heard all that nonsense about the surge working, right?  Well, even if there have been security gains, they’re about to go into the shitter:

BASRA, Iraq - Iraqi security forces fought fierce gunbattles with powerful Shiite militias in the southern oil hub of Basra on Tuesday in a major operation aimed at bringing the southern oil city under government control.

Gunmen also patrolled several Baghdad neighborhoods as followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered a nationwide civil disobedience campaign to demand an end to the crackdown on their Mahdi Army movement.

More evidence of freedom on the march after the jump.

And it gets even better!

Explosions rang out across central Baghdad as rockets or mortars fired from Shiite areas targeted the U.S.-protected Green Zone for the second time this week.

The violence was part of an escalation in the confrontation between the Shiite-run government and al-Sadr’s followers - a move that threatens the security gains achieved by U.S. and Iraqi forces. Police and hospital officials reported that at least 22 people had been killed and 58 wounded in the Basra clashes.

Al-Sadr’s allies have grown increasingly angry over raids and detentions against them by U.S. and Iraqi forces, who insist the crackdown only affects rogue elements loyal to Iran.

It’s important to understand that the Iraqi “government” simply does not exist outside the Green Zone. It can’t do anything.  You might also recall that the only reason the violence ebbed was because we were paying the Iraqis not to shoot at us.  “Were” is the operative word - we haven’t been paying lately.  Are you surprised the natives are getting a little restless?

Iraqi Forces Battle Militias for Control of Basra [MSNBC]

Comments

[water]

It's all part of the plan, comrade. This will all be blamed on (the soon to be "liberated") Iran....then Venezuela, then any other country with the temerity to want to control their own oil resources.

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[Lew Scannon]

And John McCain just said we're succeeding in Iraq.........

[tata]

Oh, we're succeeding at something, alright. Just not at waging a happy, pony-filled war.

[mandt]

OMG! The successful surge is by the wrong side! By the way did McCain even realize he was in Iraq?

[water]

Sure, it's the only time he's allowed to wear his codpiece while shopping.

[actor212]

So basically, the Green Zone is like the Cloud People from that episode of Star Trek, The Nursing Home, while the rest of Iraq mines that crap that makes people nuts?

[pissed off patricia]

God, cheney is an ugly creature.

The spin is already spinning from the white house. They are saying the Iraqi army is going to handle this in Basra. They say if they can it will be a major milestone for their army.

My feeling is if their army can handle it then fine, bring our soldiers home asap.

I'm sure cheney's reaction to this new fighting is, "So?"

[Frederick]

Surge II, the sequals!!!!11!

[mandt]

That mug just begs for a knuckle sandwich.

[actor212]

Mandt,

I wouldn't risk the rabies. Kick him with a boot.