BBC NEWS reports

Iraqi troops have fought battles with Shia militiamen in the southern town of Diwaniya.

[. . .]

Government forces had lost control of parts of the city, officials said.

But no matter what, it's not a civil war. I mean governments routinely lose control of cities, right? And violence always flares in response to an improving security situation, right? It's like the law of thermodynamics or something, right?
posted by Idle Crank at 8/28/2006 05:25:00 PM