Confused?

Confused about some of the different Shiite sects in Iraq? Basra? Whats going on? This article is a a little old, but it does a pretty good job explaining just what is going on. It just still blows my mind that the US is somehow proud of putting into power a government whose largest block is the "Supreme Islamic Council for Iraq", a party with an Islamist platform, duh. (By the way, if it weren't obvious enough from the new name, a few years ago there was no excuse. The original name was the Supreme Council for ISLAMIC REVOULTION IN IRAQ. Wish I could have been there as Bush contemplated such thoughts..hmmm, Islamic Revolution, that worked well in Iran in 1979, so lets place our bets with them in Baghdad!) We put them into power. And yet we are scared of Iran? My head hurts rolling these thoughts around. But if you have been hurting from trying to keep the Mahdi Army straight from the Badr Corps, they are both Shia so that doesn't help, give this article a chance. Afterwards you will still have to puzzle over the US invasion which put Islamists in power, but you will at least have a few things straight.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fg-shiites30mar30,1,1596179.story

For more updates, keep checking out Prof. Juan Cole's blog, juancole.com