While it may suit your politics better to believe that this is a glorious Uprising of the People against the Great Oppressor, this recent violence was a targeted and planned move on the part of a specific minority of Shiites under the whip of Iran.

As indicated in poll after poll, a majority of Iraqis want us to succeed, although you seem to have a remarkable facility for suppressing that fact in your mind.

Once again, think. If most Iraqis actually wanted these radicals in charge, all the radicals would have to do is sit quietly and wait to be voted into power down the road. The radicals know damn well that Iraqis will do no such thing, hence the desperate violence before an Iraqi government can settle into place.

There is also the Mogadishu tactic in play here, which works on some presidents, and not on others.

Who do you think Sadr hopes wins the election in America?