Oh, good: Others are noticing the same thing!

Iraqi PM Gives Basra Gunmen Ultimatum
Rocket Attacks Hit Green Zone
By Sholnn Freeman and Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
BAGHDAD, March 26 -- Clashes continued Wednesday between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias in the southern city of Basra, as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki laid down a deadline for gunmen to surrender and fresh rocket attacks hit Baghdad's Green Zone.
...
It was unclear why U.S. forces would take part in a broad armed challenge to Sadr and his thousands-strong militia on the eve of Petraeus's assessment, which the Bush administration has said would greatly influence its decision on whether to draw down troop levels. ...
[emphasis added]

"Unclear" indeed!

Spencer Ackerman notes that:

Now, some Iraq-watcher friends of mine point out that this is absurd. "Sadr is, of course, a thug," they say, "but he's a nationalist. And he's far less beholden to Iran than the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or Maliki's Da'wa Party -- both of whom we're supporting! And most importantly, Sadr remains perhaps the most popular figure in Shiite Iraq. Petraeus can do business with him. This doesn't make any sense!" And they're right. It doesn't. But as long as we sponsor the Iraqi political process -- and a Sadrist doesn't actually become premier himself -- this will keep happening.
[emphasis added]

So there you have it. We are, in fact, just one more militia among many, supporting our favorites against the others.

Whence "reconciliation"? Whence "unification"?

From the WaPo article:

But many Sadr followers view the offensive as the latest attempt by the United States and Sadr's Shiite rivals, who run Iraq's government, to take advantage of Sadr's cease-fire to weaken his movement politically ahead of provincial elections that could take place this year.

"We are really scared," said Aahad Hamid, 27, a Basra University employee whose voice quivered on the phone as Iraqi attack helicopters flew over the city. "We can hear the voice of the bullets."

What a charming but effective metaphor:

... the voice of the bullets

This would make a good book title!

In yet more signs that "the surge is working" (again from WaPo article):

By Tuesday evening, Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias had also clashed in the cities of Kut and Hilla, as well as outside Sadr's Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City. Dusk-to-dawn curfews were imposed on at least six cities in southern Iraq, police said.

In addition to resisting with arms, Sadr's movement led a labor strike for a second day in many parts of eastern and central Baghdad on Tuesday, demanding the release of Sadr's jailed followers and an end to Iraqi government raids. Sadrist leaders ordered stores to close and taxi and bus drivers to stop operations. Many neighborhoods turned into virtual ghost towns, their usually busy streets all but empty. Parents kept their children home from school.

Again - and this can't be over-emphasized - our tactics were apparently designed to deliberately provoke al Sadr's followers. Their view that the U.S. and the Iraq govt took advantage of the cease-fire to weaken al Sadr politically is perfectly rational based on our actions.

... and, for what it's worth: the U.S. is now playing by traditional Iraq rules - acting as if the only thing that persuades is force! If we do not attack we will be perceived as weak - this seems to be the mindset of our Generals.

This is not an attitude that promotes reconciliation and unification. This is not a mindset that promotes the give-and-take dialog that characterizes a vibrant democracy.

Our own actions undermine our stated objectives in Iraq.

Stop the madness!