This CNN article states that US Marines and Iraqi forces are readying for a final assualt on al-Sadr and the so-called Medhi Army along with the previously unknow Brigades of Divine Anger. Sadr stated that he is willing for the UN to intervene and facilitate a peaceful solution to the crisis and Kofi Annan is quoted as saying the UN is “ready to extend its facilitating role to the current crisis.” (Does this mean the UN is ready to facilitate the crisis or a soulution to the crisis, but I digress.)

The only thing the US and Iraqi forces should be looking to facilitate is al-Sadr’s meeting with all those virgins in paradise. It is important that his head be put on a pike and an American pike at that. America’s strength and willingness to do what is necessary to promote stability and peace in the region need to be unquestioned. The citizens of Iraq and the governments of the middle east need to believe we will do what is necessary, however gruesome, however difficult to defeat terrorism.

It is also essential that we not permit our enemies to use our reluctance to attack places of worship and sites holy to Islam to their advantage. If the Imam Ali Shrine is al-Sadr’s base of operation and hiding place, he should be rooted out even at the expense of damage, destruction and desecration to the shrine. Our longstanding unwillingness to destroy this pest may give our friends pause and our enemies comfort and we now have an opportunity to clarify their understanding of our capabilities and resolve. We should not miss this opportunity.