Iraq.

A link to the big WaPo editorial/outlook piece on the possible long term regional ramifications of the Iraqi civil war. Interesting.

A report today in the NYTimes about the Iranian shelling of Kurdish villages near the border. (but no mention of the Turkish ground operations in N. Iraq. I guess that's the difference between enemy and ally.)

The British army is in a financial crisis from its deployments which is leaving troops in the field underequipped. "The memo, written by the MoD's second most senior civil servant, has sparked fears that requests by commanders for vital equipment to save the lives of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq may not be met."

There was more killing in Iraq as snipers opened fire on the pilgrimmage to the shrine of Imam Moussa Kadhim. 17 dead and 250-300 wounded. Sure to exact retaliation.

Last, This from the bottom of an LATimes article.

Most of the U.S.-led security operation has targeted Sunni neighborhoods in western Baghdad. Frustrated American commanders say Sadr and his followers have become "untouchable."

We're in the civil war right now, and because of the politics of the Shia led government, we are, in effect, fighting the Sunni for them.