corrente

Was Fallujah only the beginning?

Iraq was wracked today by its most violent civil disturbances since the occupation started, with a coordinated Shia uprising spreading across the country, from the slums of Baghdad to several cities in the south.

By day's end, witnesses said Shia militiamen controlled the city of Kufa, south of Baghdad, with armed men loyal to a radical cleric occupying the town's police stations and checkpoints. More than eight people were killed by Spanish forces in a similar uprising in the neighboring town of Najaf.

In Baghdad, American tanks battled militiamen loyal to Moqtada Al Sadr, the radical cleric who has denounced the occupation and has an army of thousands of young followers.

At nightfall today, the Sadr City neighborhood shook with explosions and tank and machine gun fire. Black smoke choked the sky. The streets were lined with armed militiamen, dressed in all black. American tanks surrounded the area. Attack helicopters thundered overhead.

"The occupation is over!" people on the streets yelled.
(via The Times)

Sistani, of course, would prefer to take power through elections. Looks like Sadr is a little more hotheaded, and wants it all now.

Incidentallly, Steve Gilliard at Kos has said for some time that the Shi'ites are the story to pay attention to. From way back in 2003, when all things seemed possible ...

Meanwhile, official Washington is discovering that Bush has no plan for the June 30 handover either:

Asked whether the transfer of power is coming too soon, [Republican Senator Richard] Lugar said, "It may be, and I think it's probably time to have that debate."

The only problem: The Shi'ites are already having the debate, and in the streets.

Lugar said there are still far too many questions about what will happen after June 30.

He said the administration has shared no plans with his committee regarding an ambassador, who the 3,000 embassy staff will be, and how they will be kept safe.

"This is a huge new exposure of Americans," Lugar told ABC's "This Week."

He added, "At this point, I would have thought there would have been a more comprehensive plan."
(via AP

Mercy. Lugar expects a plan from the Bush administration? Where has he been living for the past three years?

It's starting to look like events in Iraq are moving faster than debates in Washington, or the desires of the Bush Election Campaign, either. "Events, dear boy. Events...."

And where is the positive liberal and Democratic position on what to do about the Iraqi qWagmire? (See Soros below) I know what Bush would say: Give the Shi'ites tax cuts! But what is our policy?

UPDATE More cakewalking.