[FreeReign]

Post #77 | bill1952:Real power is displayed by going in and kicking ass. Not by giving Sadr 72 hours or 72 seconds. The fact that he has done so is proof that the minister either is circumscribed in his powers to remove Sadr, or unsure that he has that ability at all. Sadr can see this pretty clearly.

Maliki:surprised to see that party emerge with all the weapons available to it and strike at everything — institutions, people, departments, police stations and the army.

It doesn't logically follow from your above Maliki quote, that Maliki is limited in his powers to defeat the Mahdi Army, as you state in post #77.

To the contrary, from your link, Maliki calls the fight for control of Basra "a decisive and final battle".

Given all the U.S., British, allied and Iraqi blood that has been spilled to get to this point, I would NOT be so quick to claim that we will lose this showdown.

[golfisnr1]

Youe can bet that we have advisors in Basra.