Free and Democratic Iraq

Don't look now, but Baghdad's mayor was deposed in what was essentially a military coup by the Badr Brigades. The Badr Brigades, let us remember, are the militia of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, and officially on our side. According to the New York Times, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari is not expected to stop the move, like he could anyway. The previous mayor was not democratically elected, of course - he was a Bremer appointee. But on a day to day basis politics is still usually conducted via the gun, apparently even in the capital.

UPDATE: Juan Cole says SCIRI had a right to do this after winning provinical elections.