I’ve been wondering about the near-evaporation of Muqtada al-Sadr Mahdi Army movement. This piece reinforces what I’d been hearing from other sources: that the Mahdi Army was as much a criminal enterprise as it was a political movement. The rise of Maliki as an actual national leader continues. The rationale for the continuing presence of U.S. troops wanes.
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Morning Must Reads: Severe
- Obama unveils his re-election year budget today, which will include $4 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years, tax hikes on top income, and new education grants.
- The GOP race turns to Michigan.
- Romney makes his conservative case to National Review.
- Why “severely conservative” was not a good phrase for Romney.
From our PartnersRomney: I Was A 'Severely Conservative' GovernorHuffPost Politics
- The Last, Best Hope for ConservativesSlate
- Newt Claims GOP Just 'Managing The Decay'HuffPost Politics
Birth Control Debate: Why Catholic Bishops Have Lost Their Grip on U.S. Politics—and Their Flock
The clash with the White House over birth control is a reminder of just how much influence the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has lost in the 10 years since the child sex abuse crisis erupted in America.
