SO WHO REALLY WON IN BASRA?

To read the lamestream media agitprop "analysis," the Iraqi government's recent offensive against Shia militias was a miserable failure, with all their focus on deserting government troops and defiant Sadrist militiamen.

But if that were true, then how could we see this AP story?:

Muhanad Jawad, owner of a CD shop, said that before the crackdown, bearded men wearing black clothes frequently raided his shop to look for banned love songs or romantic Western or Egyptian movies. Gunmen would order him to sell only CDs with songs or video mourning Imam al-Hussein, a revered Shiite martyr in the 7th century.

"Now, the situation is better. The fanatic gunmen have vanished and a lot of young people are visiting my shop to buy songs, pop music and romantic movies," he said.

In the city's main street, Al-Jazir, several CD shops have been opened and music is played loudly outside the stores while unveiled young women pass by. Although not fully covered by a traditional veil, most women nonetheless wear head scarves over their hair.

Mohammed Abdul-Amir, a government employee, dared to hire a singer and a band for his wedding four days ago.

"I am happy to have a real wedding party," he said. "A few weeks ago, doing such a thing would have meant death."

And look at this other story from Basra today--check out who's surrounding who:

"The police and the army have laid siege to Sadr's office in Basra," office head Sheikh Harith al-Athari told AFP. "They have also stopped people from attending Friday prayers.
"The forces, backed by armoured vehicles, have asked us to leave the building," he added.
Journalists reported Sadr supporters had refused to leave the office block in the oil city, which lies about 550 kilometres (340 miles) south of the capital.
Interior ministry spokesman General Abdel Karim Khalaf told AFP the operation had been approved by Maliki and aimed to "recover official buildings that were being occupied."

So you tell me who won?