The media has been trying to make a lot about the latest "my dick is bigger than your dick" stupidity going on between the President of Iraq and the terrorist, er I mean religious leader, al-Sadr. The media pretends to be confused as to why al-Sadr backed down.
Here is the real reason al-Sadr backed down. A few days before the public josturing between the President of Iraq and al-Sadr the leader of Kurdistan and the leader of Sunnistan (the Sunnis have their own de facto autonomous region now) agreed to provide troops to help the Iraqi government put down the Mahdi army. The Kurds have one of the best fighting forces in the world, the Pesh Merga, who have been fighting the Iraqis, the Iranians, and the Turks for generations.
The Pesh Merga can put 375,000 well trained, well armed, very dedicated, ruthless fighters in the field. They also have tanks, self propelled artillery, bradley fighting vehicles, and combat aircraft.
The Sunni coalition of awakening militias can field 160,000 men. This force is not as well equipped or well trained as the Pesh Merga but they have proven they can fight.
I don't think it takes much imagination to predict what would happen if the Pesh Merga and the Sunni awakening army were set loose on the Mahdi army. Bye bye Mahdi army.
*****Side Note, it is interesting that the only real violence occurring in Iraq now is fighting between Shia groups or by Shia groups against the US military and/or Iraqi security forces. Kurdistan and most Sunni areas are pretty quiet.
Here is the real reason al-Sadr backed down. A few days before the public josturing between the President of Iraq and al-Sadr the leader of Kurdistan and the leader of Sunnistan (the Sunnis have their own de facto autonomous region now) agreed to provide troops to help the Iraqi government put down the Mahdi army. The Kurds have one of the best fighting forces in the world, the Pesh Merga, who have been fighting the Iraqis, the Iranians, and the Turks for generations.
The Pesh Merga can put 375,000 well trained, well armed, very dedicated, ruthless fighters in the field. They also have tanks, self propelled artillery, bradley fighting vehicles, and combat aircraft.
The Sunni coalition of awakening militias can field 160,000 men. This force is not as well equipped or well trained as the Pesh Merga but they have proven they can fight.
I don't think it takes much imagination to predict what would happen if the Pesh Merga and the Sunni awakening army were set loose on the Mahdi army. Bye bye Mahdi army.
*****Side Note, it is interesting that the only real violence occurring in Iraq now is fighting between Shia groups or by Shia groups against the US military and/or Iraqi security forces. Kurdistan and most Sunni areas are pretty quiet.
