Not cultured, but not exactly a fool

I'm sure some Bush apologists will declare this victory, but it's the opposite:

The Iraqi government has welcomed an order by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to pull his fighters off the streets.

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told Iraqi state TV in an interview that the decision is "positive and responsive."

Sunday's offer was contained in a nine-point statement issued by his headquarters in Najaf.

As late as Yesterday Maliki was pledging to destroy the Mahdi Army. He even proclaimed them "worse than al Qaeda". A day later, everyone is letting bygones be bygones. Amazing, but not exacty surprising.

Now, not only has that effort failed, but Sadr emerges with his Mahdi Army not only victorious tactically, but also strategically. He's also the moral victor, the only one who ever offered olive branches. Once again, al Sadr, the leader least close to Iran of the three Shiia groups outflanks and outsmarts the more cultured and and favored Shiias of Bush, Maliki & Hakim, the latter two also ironically favored by Iran.

As always, the Bush Administration ends up blundering into another disaster, stubbing its toe -- and Iran comes off the winner again.

Your $3 trillion at work.