This is not Sunni vs. Shia , this is not civil war , this is not sectarian violence , it 's intra-Shia politics for control of the government , '' he said . Mehdi Army analysts assess what Basra fighting says about Iraq 's future . Michael Holmes : Iraq fosters clashes among rival American factions . Michael Ware : Crisis is opportunity for central government to stand up . Sheppard : Breakdown could lead to political chaos , loss of gains from surge .
Mehdi Army analysts assess what Basra fighting says about Iraq 's future . Michael Holmes : Iraq fosters clashes among rival American factions . Michael Ware : Crisis is opportunity for central government to stand up . Sheppard : Breakdown could lead to political chaos , loss of gains from surge .