The rise of the JAM
Herschel Smith discusses the rise of the Jaish al Mahdi in Iraq, while Matt Sanchez posts video of his "ambush" by friendly kids in Sadr City. Smith writes:
Unless and until U.S. forces take down Sadr, there will be no peace or security in Iraq. Taking down Sadr will not finish the job, however. The balance of the Shi’ite militias (splintered from Sadr) will have to be defeated, and finally the Iranian terror masters stopped from their insidious influence inside of Iraq and the whole Middle East.Not inconsistent with Smith's analysis, but marking at least one kind of progress, Jim Michaels reports in USA Today that major attacks have declined in Iraq by nearly 50 percent. And Michaels also reports that "Petraeus said coalition and Iraqi forces have made inroads against Shiite extremist groups."
