From all accounts it seems more to be factions of his militia not listening to him anymore more then he himself.
Either way its past time they where cleared out.
Either way the defeatists (like you) will now glamorize them.
Past that Iraq is a hell of alot better off then it used to be ..the Surge has effectively neutralized much of al Qaeda capabilities in Iraq and the nation is making immense progress in all regards.
This is also a primarily Iraqi operation supported by coalition airpower.
Quote:
Three Iraqi army brigades have been sent from Baghdad to Basra and up to 15,000 troops could be involved.
Some of the fiercest fighting in the operation dubbed Charge of the Knights has focused on Mehdi Army strongholds.
Police curfews have been imposed in Basra, Kut, Samawa, Nasiriyah, Hilla and Diwaniyah.
'Stiff resistance'
Columns of smoke hung across Basra and coalition jets prowled the skies on Tuesday.
Security forces kept journalists away from areas where heavy fighting appeared to be under way and correspondents say it was unclear by nightfall who had the upper hand.
Col Karim al-Zaidi, a spokesman for the Iraq military, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying security forces had met stiff resistance from Mehdi Army gunmen in the city centre.
Reuters Television pictures showed gunmen firing mortars in the street while others, the agency said, drove around in captured Iraqi army and police vehicles.
In Baghdad, rockets hit the Green Zone but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
US and Iraqi troops sealed off Baghdad's Sadr City as fighting raged inside.
The Basra operation is being personally led by Mr Maliki, a fact hailed by Washington.
"Prime Minister Maliki made a brave decision to go into a very difficult situation where you have terrorists and insurgents that have infested the area, and he's taken his forces down there and are working with them," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.
The operation, she insisted, was "Iraqi-led and Iraqi-initiated".
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7313894.stm
Democrast liek Harry "Surredner" reid betetr watch what they say..ad Obam better as well. If they make any stupid comments they are going to get (*)(*)(*)(*)(*) slapped...
by what you ask?..by the facts on the ground making liars out of them. Economic, Political, Surge, and now the Iraqi military they malign doing what they always DEMANDED it do.
Oh thats right..its the monetary cost now thats their excuse for betrayal and surrender
