[mburbank]

Kevin, I'd say Shiite death squads and (iraqi) state sanctioned torture and abduction were an indication that those trying to provoke civil war are gaining some ground.

Do you really think that all the bodies turning up daily killed by execution are victims of a single terrorist cadre fomenting civil war?

What if it's, oh, I don't know, actual pro civil war factions in Iraq, like Sunnis who really do want a Suni dominated Iraq back and Shiites who really do want a Shiite dominated Iraq with a little revenge thrown in?

As far as Moqtada goes, History has shown time and again that stiring up the mob is one thing, but controlling it once it's stirred... that's something else.