Iraqi blogger Omar is indispensible to our support and understanding of Iraq's democratization; we know that. It looks as though a local Iraqi newspaper, the New Sabah, has recognized the talent of Omar and his brothers, too, and recently published a weblog post of his as a news story. Congratulations, Omar: Iraqis need to hear your voice.

Omar picks up on the mischief of al-Sadr's gangs where Zeyad left off yesterday, offering this striking anecdote (emphasis mine):

[Interim Prime Minister Iyad] Allawi seemed so determined in this conference and when one reporter asked him, "Why do you maintain the pressure and continue to push things to the extreme against Iraqi citizens?" He answered the reporter with a harsh tone, "What citizens? These are outlaws and no one is allowed to break the law here no matter who he was" and he added, "We will continue to push harder and we will keep the course against these criminals." Then the reporter tried to interrupt him but Allawi said, "Enough. We are not having a conversation here. You asked a very unacceptable question and I answered you."

True enough. The men in Iraq, native or foreign, taking up arms against freedom are terrorists, criminals, outlaws: nothing else.

DENOUEMENT?:According to the New York Times, American and Iraqi troops are not letting up:

American marines drove deeper into the heart of the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Saturday as they fought Moktada al-Sadr's rebel militiamen, and there was little sign that American commanders, who said they were taking orders from the new Iraqi government, intended to heed appeals for a cease-fire from clerics and others claiming to represent Mr. Sadr.

In three days of fighting, including mostly sporadic battles on Saturday, the marines and supporting units from the new American-trained Iraqi security forces have pushed well into the old city, an area the Americans had avoided in their months of on-and-off fighting with the Mahdi Army, Mr. Sadr's black-uniformed militia.

In May, the Mahdi gang's hamstrings were cut. Now its throat?

SURPRISE: According to at least two Pacific news sources (here and here), Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has invited Muqtada al-Sadr to run in Iraq's elections. Is it an "olive branch" as described — or a polite ultimatum? An American commander is quoted as saying "all bets are off" with al-Sadr so at this point it's anyone's guess. There's also Allawi's reference to the shredded mobs in Najaf to consider:

What has been happening in Najaf in the past 48 hours involves elements backed by some media outlets that are trying to hinder our progress and disrupt the normal functioning of the Government.

How much does that statement have to do with the Iraqi government's recent 30-day closing of this media outlet?

THE BRAVE: From one of our soldiers facing al-Sadr's thugs in Baghdad:

U.S. Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, commander of the 1st Calvary Division that is responsible for security in Sadr City, said militants never had full control over the large Shiite slum during the clashes.

"We have seen nowhere near the violence of April," Chiarelli said, referring to a Sadr-led uprising in April and May that killed hundreds.

Chiarelli said all U.S. operations in Sadr City were being conducted jointly with Iraqi security forces.

"We take no action unless we are fired upon," he said. "I can cite you example after example where we did not engage when forces fired upon us because to do so would have caused civilian casualties. I might add our enemy does not do the same."

Point taken.