Kyra Phillips of CNN paints a grim picture of the fracturing situation in Basra and Iraq at this time. The army offensive in Basra may threaten the fragile cease fire against US forces being observed by most of al-Sadr's fighters. You know what that means. it could be temporary or it could really blow up. Let's see John McCain take another stroll to the market.

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via Ilan Goldenberg: Potentially very bad:

So, the news from Iraq today isn't good.

Iraqi forces clashed with Shiite militiamen Tuesday in the southern oil port of Basra and gunmen patrolled several Baghdad neighborhoods as followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered a nationwide civil disobedience campaign to demand an end to the crackdown on their movement.

Explosions rang out across central Baghdad as rockets or mortars fired from Shiite areas targeted the U.S.-protected Green Zone for the second time this week.

The violence was part of an escalation in the confrontation between the Shiite-run government and al-Sadr's followers — a move that threatens the security gains achieved by U.S. and Iraqi forces. At least 22 people were killed in the Basra fighting...read on

Siun has an amazing post on FDL which tells us what five years in Iraq buys.

It's all very sad indeed.