Progress in Iraq?

This is from the AP, so take it with a grain of salt, but if true is very good news:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Major partners in Iraq's governing coalition are in behind-the-scenes talks to oust Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki amid discontent over his failure to quell raging violence, according to lawmakers involved.

The talks are aimed at forming a new parliamentary bloc that would seek to replace the current government and that would likely exclude supporters of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who is a vehement opponent of the U.S. military presence.

The Iraqi security forces are not 100% ready to take over the protection of the nation without backup from the US, however they are capable of accomplishing a large part of the mission, if they are allowed to.

The problem is that they are not being allowed to because Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is essentially a client of Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Maliki is doing everything in his power to protect al-Sadr and as long as as-Sadr is walking around breathing and free Iraq is going to be a violent mess.

Now Muqtada al-Sadr isn't the only problem in Iraq which needs a 5.56 MM solution, but he is the logical starting point.

PS - I notice that this story did not make the online editions of either the New York Times or the Washington Post. Perhaps the idea of any kind of positive movement in Iraq doesn't match the picture that they are trying to paint of a runaway Bush Administration failure.

If the situation in Iraq begins to show the kind of substantial improvement that even the MSM can't ignore or explain away the sight of all the elite media heads exploding will be a wonder to behold.