First, Iraq is composed basically of three ethnic groups - Kurds, Sunnis and Shiia.

The Kurds reside pretty much by themselves in the north, are used in the south by the Coalition against Sunnis and Shiia. Whom the Kurds hate. The Coalition calls them "Iraqi" troops, which technically they are. As "Iraqi" as Basques are Spanish, as Chechnyans are Russian.

For the US to have it's puppet govermnent survive the Sunni and Shii elements will have to come to an accommodation. After all, they are the Iraqis who a democracy is supposed to represent.

For the US to have it's puppet government survive, folks such as al-Sadr will have to sign off on any agreement. They are too big a faction, more Iraqi than, say, GWB or American troops.

Or, failing that, al-Sadr has to be killed along with most of his supporters. Probably not going to happen.

So, the US will have to stop demonizing and find a way to negotiate with al-Sadr and his ilk or face an endless war.

That all is just pitifully obvious.

"Fiery Anti-U.S. Cleric Reappears in Iraq."

And besides being ideologues, Cheney/Bush ain't smart enough to negotiate with anyone.

Arf