the dog in the fight

LAT: Shiites in Baghdad (associated with Sadr) protest the violence in Basra (between Sadr allies, a bunch of other militias, the Iraqi government forces, and the US military)
US officials cite renegade Sadr allies, not the Mahdi army itself, as the problem; they seem to be trying to salvage Sadr's cease-fire, even though for all intents and purposes it already seems irrelevant.
WP: US forces are more than advisers in the fighting in Baghdad; no one knows why Maliki acted now
"Iraqi army and police units appeared to be largely holding to the outskirts of the area as American troops took the lead in the fighting...Maliki decided to launch the offensive without consulting his U.S. allies, according to administration officials. With little U.S. presence in the south, and British forces in Basra confined to an air base outside the city, one administration official said that 'we can't quite decipher' what is going on. It's a question, he said, of 'who's got the best conspiracy' theory about why Maliki decided to act now...
Some officials have concluded that Maliki himself is firing 'the first salvo in upcoming elections,' the administration official said.
'His dog in that fight is that he is basically allied with the Badr Corps" against forces loyal to Sadr, the official said. 'It's not a pretty picture.' "
Slate: breaking down the alliances in Basra
"In other words, as with most things about Iraq, it's a more complex case than Bush makes it out to be.
The two Shiite parties—the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq and Muqtada Sadr's Mahdi army—have been bitter rivals since the early days of post-Saddam Iraq. And Maliki, from the beginning of his rule, has had delicate relations with both...Late last month, Iraq's three-man presidential council vetoed a bill calling for provincial elections, in large part because ISCI's leaders feared that Sadr's party would win in Basra. The Bush administration, which has (correctly) regarded provincial elections as key to Iraqi reconciliation, pressured Maliki to reverse his stance and let the bill go through. He did—at which point (was this just a coincidence?) planning began for the offensive that's raging now."
Gdn: mass grave found
WP: Bush in his own world - Ohio

BBC: many killed in fighting in the tribal region of Pakistan
"The violence follows rising tensions between the Sunni Muslim Orakzai tribe and the minority Shia Katchai tribe.
Heavy weapons were used in the clashes in the Lautang area of Kohat district, a local official told the BBC."

Reuters: Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Egypt talks end without deal

Gdn: Colombia says it will release FARC prisoners in exchange for Betancourt
"President Alvaro Uribe signed a decree last night allowing the massive release of guerrillas from jail if Betancourt, who is French-Colombian and was kidnapped during her 2002 presidential campaign, and suffers from hepatitis B, is set free, according to peace commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo."

BBC: massive kidnapping in Central Africa Republic, allegedly by LRA members

NYT: Puerto Rico's governor is in trouble

Gdn: opposition in Zimbabwe threatens "Kenya-like" protests if Mugabe rigs the vote

Gdn: Burmese leader asks for solidarity with government, against "destructive elements"

LAT: Arrrr: US Navy fighting pirates off coast of Somalia
" 'We're like a cop walking a beat,' said Capt. David Adler, commander of the guided-missile cruiser Port Royal in the Persian Gulf. 'We haven't had any piracy incidents, but that's because we're here.' "

LAT: brokering a peace deal among youth groups - tribus - in Mexico City