THE 82D AIRBORNE, protecting mosques from terrorists:

The event was peaceful for the most part, although the U.S. military said Tuesday that police in Karbala arrested six men who had been planning to blow up two of the city’s mosques.

Five of the detainees claimed to be members of Saddam’s Baath Party, and one said he belonged to al-Qaida, said Capt. Jimmie Cummings, spokesman for the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. The men were arrested Monday and have been handed over to the 101st Airborne Division in Karbala, Cummings said.

Al Qaeda and Ba’ath trying to blow up mosques; the “All-American” 82d Airborne standing in their way. I wonder if this story will make Al Jazeera?

UPDATE: Al Qaeda and Ba’ath working together? Pejman Yousefzadeh notes that before the war, we were told by some that such things were impossible.