U.S., Iraqi Forces Lift Baghdad Slum Blockades
By Rick Jervis
BAGHDAD — U.S. and Iraqi troops dismantled checkpoints around the capital’s Sadr City slum, a Shiite militia stronghold, after an order Tuesday by Iraq’s prime minister to pull back.
The directive from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was his latest attempt to assert authority over the 4-month-old joint U.S. and Iraqi campaign to stabilize Baghdad.
U.S. and Iraqi troops cordoned off Sadr City after the Oct. 23 disappearance and apparent kidnapping of a U.S. soldier of Iraqi descent. On Tuesday, U.S. troops were searching the neighborhood and checking vehicles entering and leaving the district when they got the order to remove the checkpoints.
Sadr City is home to 2.5 million Shiites and is the political base of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army.
Al-Maliki’s government, nominally a coalition of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, is dominated by a Shiite majority bloc. Al-Sadr’s political organization is among the most powerful groups within that bloc.
The Sadr City security cordon had caused hours-long traffic backups. Residents celebrated after the blockade was lifted.
Al-Sadr had warned on Monday that his forces might retaliate in response to the security ring around Sadr City.
“If this siege continues for long, we will resort to action,” he said.
Al-Maliki’s office said Tuesday that he had ordered the pullback.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said U.S. and Iraqi forces opened “selected” checkpoints and crossing points after a meeting between al-Maliki, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. George Casey, the U.S. commander in Iraq.
The changes were made “to address problems with the flow of traffic and the disruptions to essential daily activity for the citizens of Baghdad,” the embassy said.
Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said checkpoints were pulled away in time to meet a 5 p.m. deadline set by al-Maliki.
Al-Maliki has chafed at pressure from the U.S. military and the Bush administration to force militias to disarm immediately. In recent days, he has sharply differed with U.S. statements that his government had agreed to specific goals and dates for reaching political and security aims, including disbanding sectarian militias. He also criticized a U.S.-led raid in Sadr City and vowed it would not be repeated.
“It shouldn’t be surprising to see al-Maliki pushing back,” said Stephen Biddle, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “It means we’re leaning on him and it’s having an effect.”
Al-Maliki said in a recent interview with USA TODAY that he has targeted rogue militia cells. He said he plans to disband militias later this year or early next year.
Col. Talib Abdul Razzaq, a commander with the 2nd Brigade of the Iraqi army’s 6th Division, said al-Maliki’s government has interfered in military operations.
The joint U.S.-Iraqi security operation underway in the capital since June has not eased violence, in part because sectarian militias remain active. Many are affiliated with political parties that are blocking efforts by security forces to confront the militias, Razzaq said.
“Every area in Baghdad is supported by a specific militia, and this militia is supported by a specific political party that’s in government,” he said. When security forces target militias, political groups “call the government quickly and they stop our operation.”
Some U.S. military officials in Baghdad said tension between al-Maliki and U.S. officials has not interfered in their day-to-day operations. “Does the prime minister’s decision appear to be influenced by al-Sadr and (the Mahdi Army)? Sure, on the surface it may look like that,” said Maj. Mark Cheadle, a spokesman for U.S. troops in central and southern Baghdad. “But from our perspective, we don’t feel a conflict of interest.
“At our level, there’s no question of our objective: We want to get the bad guys and we want security for these neighborhoods.” (c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.