Iraq's Deputy Health Minister detained

More progress in Iraq! As if it weren't bad enough yesterday when we learned that three former Army Reserves officers, and two American civilians have been indicted on charges that they steered more than $8.6 million in reconstruction funds meant for Iraq to a contractor in exchange for kickbacks, today we learn that the Iraqi Health Minister is being accused of being a central figure in alleged corruption and the infiltration of the ministry by Shiite militiamen.

A ministry spokesman said U.S. and Iraqi forces had seized deputy Health Minister Hakim al-Zamili, a supporter of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, from his first-floor office in northern Baghdad.

The detainee was implicated in the deaths of several ministry officials, including the director-general in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, the military said.

He reportedly orchestrated several kickback schemes related to inflated contracts for equipment and services, with millions of dollars allegedly funneled to the Mahdi Army militia that is loyal to al-Sadr, according to the statement.

And if none of that is enough to "impress you," about how much progress is being made, the man is also suspected of providing what the AP describes as "large-scale" employment of militia members who used Health Ministry facilities and services for sectarian kidnapping and murder.

Hooray for George Bush's phenomenal (and very unique) "progress" in Iraq!