Via Matt Y., one might wonder why, in Iraq, the United States happens to supporting factions that in fact have stronger ties to Iran than does Moqtada al-Sadr - who is far more popular and thus might actually, you know, get some things done.

You might think maybe there’s some strategery behind such decisions. The fine folks at the counterinsurgency blog Abu Muqawama suggest there may be other reasons, too: 

Why, some wonder, is the U.S. closer to the Iran-backed ISCI and Badr Brigades than it is with the Sadrites? Why does this make sense? Two Baghdad political veterans have ruefully pointed out to Abu Muqawama that while Sadr has more popular support, the ISCI crowd have something more valuable: they speak English. One former State Department veteran with whom Abu Muqawama spoke a few months ago pointed out that former Iraq honcho Meghan O’Sullivan was particularly vulnerable to falling under the sway of those politicians who didn’t just speak inthat confusing gutteral language where they write from right to left in co-joined etters. Ergo: they speak English, so they must be our friends! Hoo-ray, democracy!