Throughout the past year, the US has repeatedly gone to the brink of a direct clash with Sadr and then retreated.<\/p>\n
The latest provocative spark comes from the Shiite city of Amara. Reuters<\/a> has the following report:<\/p>\n The violence in Amara<\/strong>, in Maysan province where militias and tribes exert huge influence, started after the disappearance of the brother of a senior Mehdi Army leader<\/strong>. Suspecting he had been detained by police, militias attacked police stations<\/strong> with rocket-propelled grenades and and rifle fire, [a security] source said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The British formally tranferred control of Amara to Iraqi security two months ago. Now, the BBC is reporting<\/a> that British troops are poised to move back into the city.<\/p>\n Will this latest clash be the start of something big? Or, will various envoys arrive on the scene to negotiate another retreat from the brink?<\/p>\n Time will tell.<\/p>\n But one thing is quite clear: there are some forces spoiling for a fight with Sadr.<\/p>\n CNN’s military analyst, General David Grange<\/a>, was just on the air (no transcript available yet [Update: here is the link to the CNN transcript<\/a>; thanks TR) and he was totally adament: this is a potential turning point and the US has no choice but to launch a ruthless<\/strong> assault on the city of Amara<\/em>.<\/p>\n [Y]ou have to be ruthless like Grant during the Civil War<\/strong>. And right now they cannot let the militia get away with taking over a city. Right now, it’s a test. And if they let this go, it will definitely be — definitely be — not maybe — a turning point<\/strong> for the results of what will happen in Iraq.<\/p>\n The only thing right now, in a situation like this, that those that are violating the law of Iraq understand is ruthless pursuit<\/strong>. That’s all they understand. And I would seal off the complete city. And I would go in<\/strong>, hopefully not do a lot of collateral damage<\/strong>, but if it happens, so be it<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If Grange represents anything close<\/em> to the rage of the military brass in Baghdad then Amara may, indeed, become a test case of sorts, not only a battleground for clashes between US\/UK forces and Sadr, but also a battleground between the military brass in Iraq and the political forces that have repeatedly retreated from the brink of a direct confrontation with Sadr.<\/p>\n Grange’s rage may be quite indicative of a larger frustration within the military. How else to explain yesterday’s the extraodinarily gloomy vote of no-confidence articulated by the top US military spokesman in Iraq, General William Caldwell.<\/p>\n