Quickhits

(Reuters) Shia officials in Maliki's government expect the US to move against Sadr's militias, maybe as soon as January 5th. "The Americans want a war with the Mehdi Army," said a Western diplomat in Baghdad, who is not American or British."

(Boston Globe) A remarkable look at the very high level group coordinating actions against Iran.

(Newsweek) An interview with incoming Iraq number two, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno. You can see why they'd want him there with the "strategies" they're discussing. He's reading right off the administration's talking points. I'm afraid his "understanding" may get soldiers killed.

(Reuters) "A U.S. Marine killed an Iraqi soldier during what the U.S. military described on Tuesday as an "altercation" at a security post in Falluja. A U.S. statement did not say what sparked the fight, which occurred on Saturday, or how the Iraqi soldier was killed."