The Americans, who are frustrated with Mr. Maliki’s political dependence on Mr. Sadr, appear to be working hard to help build the coalition. President Bush met last week in the White House with the leader of the Iranian-backed Shiite party, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, and is to meet this week with the head of the Sunni Arab party, Tariq al-Hashemi.

Iraqis? Looks to me like Maliki isn't the toadie that Il Dupe thought he was and is trying to get rid of him. For the other groups, the Kurds will toss in with anyone who says "back me and I'll let you do whatever you want," the Sunnis hate al Sadr as the backer of the Shia death squads, and the Iranian backed Shiites are following the lead of their Iranian mullahs who see al Sadr as a future threat to them.

They may get their anti-Sadr coalition, but it's only going to speed the trip to total chaos. The civil war is wide open.