The Sun Rises In The East, Again

So, while Waiting for Victory is in its DC tryouts, the real world continues on its rather predictable way.

Dr. Cole delivers a smack down to an ignorant twit [my view] as well as his daily round-up of death, destruction, and reality in the “Cradle of Civilization”.

In a move that surprises no one who actually reads about Iraq on a semi-regular basis, CNN reports that Religious leaders tell al-Sadr to keep militia intact, which isn’t strictly true. What the old guys in Najaf said was they didn’t get to be old guys by involving themselves in Shi’ia internal conflicts, and they had no intention of being caught between al Malaki and al Sadr, which is precisely why al Sadr left the decision up to them: he knew they would refuse to decide, and he could seize the religious high ground.

Apparently during a break in classes Moqtada said a few other things that CNN picked up on: Shiite cleric threatens to end militia’s cease-fire, cancels protest

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called off a mass demonstration for Wednesday in Baghdad and threatened to formally end the seven-month cease-fire of his Mehdi Army militia.

In fighting Tuesday in al-Sadr’s Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City, 12 people were killed and 27 wounded. At least 48 people have been killed and 176 wounded since Sunday, an Interior Ministry official said.

Eight of the 11 U.S. troops killed in Iraq on Sunday and Monday died in fighting in Baghdad.

Four U.S. soldiers were killed Monday in the capital, the U.S. military said.
…

“The Iraqi government should know that the Mehdi Army will be hand in hand with the Iraqi people to provide them with all security, stability, independence, liberation, unity … that they need,” al-Sadr said on his Web site. “And if interest requires ending the freeze to implement our goals, beliefs, religion, principles and nationalism, we will do that later.”

So, while the stars of Waiting for Victory are tap dancing around reality before the US Senate, reality is throwing assorted vegetables, well past their “use by” date, onto the stage.