TUESDAY: 1 US SOLDIER, 22 IRAQIS KILLED; 59 IRAQIS WOUNDED

One more US soldier was killed Tuesday in Iraq bringing the total US deaths in the past 48 hours to eleven.

As U.S. officials briefed Congress on Iraq withdrawal plans, Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr warned that his Mahdi army will end their unilaterally imposed ceasefire and called off a peaceful demonstration scheduled for tomorrow, citing fears of more attacks.

http://www.antiwar.com/updates/?articleid=12656

Meanwhile, General Petreus has advised postponing the U.S. drawdown in troops. One American soldier was killed in Baghdad late yesterday. At least 22 Iraqis were also killed, and another 59 Iraqis were wounded in the latest violence.

Moqtada al-Sadr threatened to end a seven-month-long ceasefire if Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does not stop targeting his followers. Recently, the al-Maliki government, under the guise of a security crackdown, failed to drive the Mahdi army out of Basra. Instead, violence erupted throughout southern Iraq and in Baghdad because al-Sadr's followers believed they were being unfairly targeted due to upcoming elections.

Although the Mahdi army was under a unilaterally imposed ceasefire at the time, al-Sadr has allowed his followers to defend themselves against attacks. This ceasefire has dramatically reduced the amount of violence, but if it ends, the results could be catastrophic as violence returns to levels unseen since last summer.

Al-Sadr may be justified in calling off his million-strong march due to security concerns. Iraqi forces are reportedly preventing followers from entering Baghdad. The cleric believes they may be further targeted for violence by Iraqi troops during the peaceful demonstration.

In Baghdad, about 1,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops are besieging the poverty stricken suburb of Sadr City, which is a Mahdi army stronghold. At least 15 civilians have been wounded there and in other neighborhoods, and many have fled the area. In Zayouna, nine people were wounded during a roadside bombing. Six people were wounded during a roadside bombing in al-Shabb.
Six people were killed and 10 others were wounded near Balad Ruz, when a roadside bomb blasted their minibus.

Meanwhile across Iraq chaos and violence continues while Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker continue to "spin" how well things are going in Iraq.

In Tuz Khormato, 16 people were wounded during a roadside bombing.
An Awakening Council (Sahwa) member and his three sons were gunned down in Baquba.
An IED in al-Rubaiaa killed one person and wounded two others.
Clashes broke out in al-Hadar. The mayor's wife was killed.
In Mosul, an explosion left one woman injured.
Ten suspects were killed last week in Basra.
Iraqi security arrested 70 suspects across Iraq.
An Islamic State In Iraq leader was detained.
Iraqi forces clashed with smugglers in Ras al-Bisha. Two Arab nationals were arrested.