From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

The battle for Basra and the race for the White House.

Hello again, I'm Arminolni, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

The daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Militias in Basra are not responding to Prime Minister Maliki's three-day ultimatum.

Bitter fighting threatened supplies of food and water.

In Baghdad, protesters against the crackdown have crowded the streets and rocket fire

has American civilians taking debunkers inside the green zone.

President Bush says Maliki's crackdown shows how Iraqi forces

have been strengthened during the surge. But what if it backfires? On to the point, Maliki's

political life could be at stake, along with the prospects for Iraqi stability. What about American

troop withdrawals? What are the implications for the presidential campaign? On reporter's notebook later on an African president who just won't leave.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica

and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D.

and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hello again. I'm on only back with To the Point. President Bush has high praise

for Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's crackdown on Shiite militias, but there's a lot at stake for both

leaders. On To the Point, Maliki's political future and U.S. troop withdrawals. Both are at risk.

What could it all mean for McCain,

Obama, and Clinton? On reporter's notebook, Saturday's election in Zimbabwe, another grim milestone in a nation's tragic collapse. First, this news update, the U.S. has increased attacks by

predator drones against al-Qaeda targets in western Pakistan. Meantime, two high-level American diplomats are in the country.

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