Deal between key Iraq Shiite figures collapses (Mehdi Army and SIIC)

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

NAJAF, Iraq, Feb 17, 2008 (AFP) - Radical Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's movement Sunday announced it was cancelling a pact it signed four months ago with its main Shiite rival aimed at reducing tension between the two groups.

The agreement between the Sadrists and the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) of Abdel Aziz al-Hakim "has failed and is cancelled," Nassar al-Rubaie, spokesman for the Sadr bloc in parliament, told AFP.

The two groups, which have clashed repeatedly in the past as each sought control of Iraq's majority Shiite community, signed a pact last October 6 aimed at ending the violence between their two militias.

Their attempt at reconciliation was prompted by tensions in the town of Diwaniyah, 180 kilometres (110 miles) south of Baghdad, between the local authorities controlled by the SIIC and Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.




Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080217/wl_mideast_afp/iraqpoliticsshiite_080217143938

[tekisui]

1. The cycles of violence will continue.

And McCain will have to take continued credit for the "situtation on the ground". It will sink him.

[jimshoes]

2. Does this mean we'll have to Re-Surge

the surge? I mean if the "surge" looks like its about to fail (The pukes have everything hinged to its supposed success :crazy: ) won't this just about sink their whole drive to the 2008 general elections.

[acmavm]

4. That's already a done deal.

More U.S. Troops Seen In Iraq By Summer
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will probably have more troops in Iraq this summer than it did before pouring in forces last year -- even after a planned drawdown, a U.S. general said on Friday.

There were some 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq before President George W. Bush ordered a surge of about 30,000 more to curb rampant violence that threatened to plunge the country into all-out civil war.

By summer, U.S. commanders plan to have withdrawn more than 20,000 combat troops deployed as part of the surge. But officials indicated some support units sent around the same time would remain or be replaced.

"It's likely that... the (total) number will be a little bit larger than the 132,000 or so that was the number of personnel on the ground pre-surge," said Army Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations on the Pentagon's Joint Staff.

Sattler said he could not be more precise yet as commanders had still to complete their plans, but a Pentagon source said the number could be as high as 140,000.

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1533503220080216

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3184343

[IsItJustMe]

3. but didn't McCain say we are winning. Good luck with that illusion.