Going After Mahdi

Two bits of news this morning in Iraq. First, the U.S./Iraqi forces launched a large offensive against Moqtada al Sadr. Since he's the largest and most autonomous oppositional force, and ostensibly an ally of al Maliki, you have to wonder about the wisdom of such an offensive. It seems to me that there's quite enough problems with Sunni insurgents without picking a fight with a very very large group of well armed and well organized Sadr followers. This would be an on-the-ground example of how military solutions don't solve political problems.

But the second part of the story was quite interesting. Buried down in the story was this tidbit:

The clashes in Diwaniyah erupted Saturday evening after Iraqi soldiers and police cordoned off a market in search of two senior Mahdi Army figures wanted by U.S.-led coalition forces in connection with sectarian killings.

Maj. Gen. Othman Ali, commander of the Iraq army's 8th Division, said his forces captured one of the men, but he escaped when fellow militiamen came to his aid.

Is that a Mahdi miliaman who came to his aid or an Iraqi army member? You know what my guess would be.

Imagine the frustration for American forces (and the families of the dead and wounded) to implement a major operation and have the targets be apprehended and then "escape".

Just another FUBAR day in Iraq.