Sadr Retreats, al-Maliki Advances

I am beginning to think the al-Maliki government is more than just bluster. The government has pursued Sadr and has been tenacious. No doubt Sadr will claim a victory regardless but it looks like he is losing his grip. His fighters are not following him, he is having the shots called from Iran, and he is on the defensive against the Iraqi government. All told, this is a dramatic turn around from the story just a year ago. Much has gone under the bridge in the meantime.