Quote: “No Iraqi leader since 2003 has had the same broad support for a policy that Maliki has right now. For the first time a leader has the support of a majority of Shia, along with the approval of the Sunni and Kurds in addition to the sympathy of the public, which has grown tired of the recklessness and violence of Sadr’s movement. For the first time the leader appears more like a leader of Iraq than a leader of a particular sect, party, or ethnic group. Moreover, he has won the support of the coalition to further build an unprecedented consensus among all concerned parties.”
The above statement is extremely important and very well put. And, it is extremely unfortunate that the U.S. main stream media has, once again, gotten it completely wrong. The recent conflict in Basra has been largely reported as a failure of Maliki’s. I never understood why it was considered a failure of the state when it was Sadr that cried uncle and called off his hounds. Because Sadr is solely focused on power, if he thought he had a chance, he would not have done that. He new he was over-matched. He’s playing a cat and mouse game because he knows the state can crush the Mahdi Army head-to-head, especially with American and British air support. Sadr is the one backed into a corner by a near unanimous political opposition. And, it is Sadr who lacks large-scale popular support.
The first little battle in Basra was a good test run for the Iraqi forces. Maliki needs to avoid the cat and mouse game and get it done with when they are ready.
