New Thugs on the Block

I am unsure about the last paragraph in the article. Is General Hertling saying that al-Sadr forced their hand and started the new fighting? Or is he saying the military was ordered to move?

It has been my understanding that the Shi-ites attacked unprovoked. Is the writer saying something else?

I don't know either. There's a lot of information flowing out of that area and sometimes it's contradictory.

Ding!