"We're going after their networks in Iraq," he told a news conference, as he laid out the new U.S. and Iraqi strategy to end sectarian violence at what Khalilzad called a "defining moment" for Iraq.
There was no mention in any of the press reports over the planned "surge" of the forces needed for this fight. But special forces and CIA assets are surely surging to Iraq. Watch for Rangers as the more visible portion of this effort.
Sadr is a threat only because he is an Iranian hand puppet. Remove the Iranians weapons and money and he is just an asshole with delusions of grandeur.
Cut Sadr down to size and his threat will evaporate. Absent an overt Iranian invasion of Iraq, Sadr and the other Shia death squad thugs are the main threat to our victory in Iraq.
UPDATE: The President's comments about Iran are not mere empty words:
President George W Bush has ordered US forces to launch a military offensive against Iranian officials and Revolutionary Guards officers behind a support and funding network for anti-American fighters in Iraq.
Mr Bush signed the clandestine directive after he was given new intelligence on the scale of Iranian operations to foment violence in Iraq.
US troops were operating under the new instructions when they raided an Iranian "liaison office" in northern Iraq last week, detaining five men, in the latest showdown with Teheran's agents.
I've been saying for quite a while that the main threat is Iranian-supported Shia thugs like Sadr. This emphasis is one reason I don't think a surge of troops is really needed to win against this new threat to our war in Iraq.
This fight will go on quietly and our press will be largely unaware of it as they focus on our troop "surge" in Baghdad.
Although new American brigades in Iraq will be useful to deter Iran if we succeed in rolling up their networks. The Iranians might think of saving their position in Iraq by escalating to a direct invasion of Iraq. Another carrier, Patriots, and combat brigades will be a potent force that could convince Iran not to roll the dice in a last ditch effort to defeat us.
