Iraq Civil War – #4 (Day 4): The Mighty U.S. Trained And Supported Iraqi Army

If the U.S. general public was tuning in at all to the current goings-on in Iraq, this image alone could blow a major hole in the Administration's rationale for being there.

After $22 billion spent training the Iraqi army, how does Team Petraeus justify the sight of Iraqi Security forces — within days of launching an all-out attack on the Mahdi — turning over their weapons to officials of Muqtada al-Sadr in exchange for Korans and olive branches?

And by the way, even if few Americans ever see the picture of these forty soldiers giving it up, you can bet (if you notice the guy getting it all down on video) that the Iraqi public is getting an eye full.

After years of effort, Iraqi army still can't 'stand up' (Star-Telegram/AP)

Cleric Suspends Battle in Basra by Shiite Militia (NYT)

The BAG's Iraq Civil War posts in one place

(image: Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images. Sadr City.  March 30, 2008.  nytimes.com)