When Michael Yon–who has spent as much or more time on the ground in Iraq as anyone–speaks, I listen, even when I disagree. And while it is undoubtedly true, as Yon argues, that elements of the Sadrist militia have devolved into criminality, it is also true that Sadrism is, arguably, the most popular trend among the Shi’ite majority in Iraq–and that involving ourselves in an intra-Shi’ite struggle is not a very wise course of action. It’s difficult to stand by when Sadrist Special Groups are lobbing rockets into the Green Zone, but our current involvement in Sadr City also has the effect of drawing us deeper into an internecine Shi’ite struggle that really ain’t our fight. We should finish the battle against Al Qaeda in Iraq up in Mosul while continuing to draw down our troops. Let the Shi’ites settle their own hash.
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