The Good: Iraq's major source of income is oil exports, and with the crackdown on militias/smugglers in Basrah coupled with the high price of crude, they are set to reap a windfall of dinars. Whether or not their government spends it wisely is a whole nother ball of wax. US involvement in Sadr City is deepening (which used to be off-limits more or less), and with that there will need to be a whole new level of service initiatives along with the combat operations. More good news from Basra as there are a resurgence of weddings (despite the author of this blog being grouchy about such occasions back in the states).
The Bad: Another female suicide bomber strikes, this time attacking in Diyala province. A top-level official at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has been assassinated in Baghdad, along with one US soldier being killed by an IED in more Baghdad violence. The LA Times is reporting that civilians were killed in a Sadr City airstrike. Two Sahwa fighters were killed near the northern city of Kirkuk.
The Ugly: Richard Butler says he was kidnapped by Hezbollah-type thugs, which further illuminates Iranian involvement in the southern city of Basra. The trial for Saddam's old deputy Prime Minister Aziz, alleged to have been complicit in massacring 42 Iraqi merchants back in 1992, has been put on hold until late May due to one of the defendants being in poor health. The defendant in "poor health" is genocidal nutjob, Chemical Ali, who went on a hunger strike earlier this month to get put back in a cushy US detention center. Also, Tariq Aziz's lawyer didn't show up (these ex-Ba'athist guys just don't get any love, who would've thought!).
"Dude, where's my Lawyer?"
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