muqtada

al-sadr is urging restraint in shi'ite response to sunni violence, pulling back from the brink of civil war. why? gee whiz grandpop, if he just holds on a bit his people will have free reign; they will be the state; the revolutionary guard. as it is, the shi'ite response is massive and seems to be proceeding with impunity: there are bodies just kind of turning up all over. bizarrely at this moment of maximum risk, both the us and britain are drawing down their forces? suddenly cheney is reading polls. we'll be out of there, there will be a bloodbath, and then a period of relative stability.